Escape from the Hokage's Hat
by anothvortex
Summary: My attempt at Perfect Lionheart's MH challenge. After recapturing Sasuke, Naruto is forced out of Konoha. However, he takes along some unexpected allies for the ride! First submission, and counting! Now NarutoxHinata!
1. Luck and Fear Change the World

No I do not own Naruto; beleive me, if I did he would have at least gotten a hot parental figure earlier than thirteen.

Escape from the Hokage's Hat

Chapter 1: Luck and Fear Change the World

One tiny little change.

It is often said, for the want of a nail, the battle could be lost.  
While overly simplistic, this particular nugget of truth was surprisingly accurate.  
For example...

---

"Chidori!"

"Rasengan!"

We have all seen this battle once or one thousand times.  
Naruto, hopped up on demonic chakra, faces an evil Sasuke with wings.  
Naruto, not wanting to actually hurt the first one he saw as a brother, aims high, while the crazy Sharingan-user aims low seeking a death blow.  
This perfect moment of understanding between two orphans.  
Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

Now, watch what happens if Naruto's aim slips just a LITTLE bit...

---

ARGHH!!!

The pain was incredible! Demonic chakra was tearing him apart,  
ripping his muscles and organs into shreds. But if he held back,  
even for an instant, Sasuke's strike would...  
would kill him...  
He couldn't die, he WOULDN'T die just yet!

Suddenly, Naruto's focus (which had been concentrated on the first perfect Rasengan he had ever formed fighting Sasuke's Black Chidori) seemed to EXPAND...

...causing him to notice the hand-like wings that Sasuke's curse mark had generated.

Wings that, if hit, JUST SO, would...

"Sasuke!!!!" Naruto cried out! Aiming high, not for the forehead protector which would have disproved Sasuke's taunts earlier, but for that monstrous left wing.

The Rasengan, infused with demonic chakra and Naruto's willpower shredded the offending appendage, sending the Uchiha rocketing downward with the force of a meteor.  
The Chidori, aimed for his center mass, instead nearly took out half the muscles in Naruto's right arm.

Crying out in pain, both Genin fell, their destiny's now left in the hands of fate...

...and a lazy Jonin who happened to be on time for once, if only barely.

-----

Seeing his two students, Kakashi nearly wept with joy.  
They were both still alive!

These two were among the first people he had started to care for in years!  
He couldn't lose them now!

Looking over their respective injuries, however, the dog-summoner winced.

The impact had badly dazed the Uchiha, who had a nasty burn festering on his back.  
To Kakashi's sorrow, the containment seal for the Cursed Mark was also badly damaged.

But Naruto...  
If it wasn't for his demonic healing, and Lady Tsunade, this sort of wound could end a ninja's career!  
Half of the muscles in his bicep were clearly seared off, and the blood was beginning to pool badly...

Shaking his head in remorse, Kakashi formed a shadow clone and grabbed his two wayward students, starting back for Konoha.

-----

Phasing out of the ground, Zetsu smirked collectively.  
_Isn't that interesting?_

-----

Kakashi, running as quickly as possible through the trees, was coming upon an uncomfortable conclusion.

Naruto might not survive the trip back.

Clearly, the battle had drained all of his chakra, but the lack of demonic healing was even more worrisome.

The one-eyed ninja had even begun to believe that the kid MIGHT become immortal at his current rate of growth.  
Unfortunately, the lowered blood-pressure and body temperature seemed to counteract such claims.  
How could he look at himself in the mirror as a sensei if his personal technique ended the poor boys life?

Luckily for the brooding man, help had arrived.

"Jonin Kakashi! What is the status of Genin's Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke?"

-----

Sighing in contentment, Tsunade headed out to inform the interested parties about Choji's survival.  
That Nara medicine book had been a godsend, saving her precious time and effort in re-stabilizing the poor boys metabolism and bio-system. Hopefully with a few weeks of recovery and three days of solid bed rest, he'd be fit as a fiddle for active duty.

Seeing the nervous Chunin chatting with the Suna Wind Mistress, a small smirk came to her lips.  
Ah, young flirting...

Coming to attention, Shikamaru started to speak, only to be cut off by the Hokage.  
"Don't worry Shikamaru, Choji will be fine. Kiba and Akamaru are in recovery and I am waiting to hear from Shizune about Neji..."

"Lady Tsunade!"

Looking over at her brunette apprentice, the Hokage quirked an eyebrow, "Yes, Shizune?"

Smiling, the exhausted Medic Ninja gave a weary thumb up.  
"Hyuga Neji is out of surgery. According to our examinations, the cellular graft is holding and he should make a full recovery!"

Smiling at the additional good news, the Blondie was about to ask for more information when one of the field medics that she had dispatched after the Suna ninja ran over, frantic.

"Hokage-sama, we need you now! A level three critical wound, with nearly one and a half hours of duration, is in need of treatment!"

Eyes widening, Tsunade ran after the man, followed by a weary Shizune.  
"Who managed to survive a wound that bad for over an hour!?!?"

Not even pausing, the man replied "Genin Uzumaki Naruto in the process of successfully apprehending Genin Uchiha Sasuke!"

The man was lucky to dodge out of the way as the two medics suddenly tripled in speed.

Seeing the boy in Kakashi's arms, blood seeping out of a makeshift bandage and pooling beneath the man, Tsunade snapped out orders like a machine gun.

"Get him into OR Two! I want Team Theta and Team Quatros available for cellular regeneration surgery, stat! Shizune! You have just completed a level two regeneration surgery and are unfit for another so soon. Look after the Uchiha, patch him up if you can, and get that bastard Jiraiya down here! I am going to want this punk's Chakra sealed within the next two hours! Move it!!!"

Running to complete their duties, no one bothered to see the sorrow in Kakashi's lone eye.  
_Obito...I have truly failed you..._

-----

Now one would think that this would be the beginning of a happy ending, ne?  
Not if the Council of Advisor's had anything to say about it.

Homura, Koharu and Danzou had been a part of the Konoha infrastructure for a long time, and as such, controlled numerous aspects of the military and civilian cultures within the village.

And with the Third Hokage gone, the one man who knew their methods and minds unlike anyone else, they had been able to gather an unprecedented amount of control.  
Not that the Fifth had realized that just yet...

Sighing, Homura palmed his face in frustration.

"This development could be cataclysmic for our village."

Nodding her head in agreement, Koharu patted her old friend on the back.  
"We were hoping that the Uchiha clan would be removed completely, besides Itachi, and restarted as loyal to the village. Instead, that fool allowed his brother to escape, making the brat the symbol of the Uchiha image within Konoha. This defection will permanently tarnish the clan, and might bring Itachi's wrath upon our heads."

Danzou smirked, tapping his cane thoughtfully.  
"But the truth is, the Container managed to defeat the Uchiha, showing that his potential as a weapon is there for the taking. If properly trained, he could be our ace against Itachi's vengeance."

Snorting, Koharu shook her head.  
"That weakling beat Itachi? There is no way that such a looser of a ninja could possibly defeat the strongest Uchiha in decades, probably since Madara. Looking over his mission reports and general performance, the Kyubi chakra is the only thing pushing him forward. Something that the strongest of the Uchiha can counter, which we must assume Itachi qualifies as."

Homura looked uncertain.  
"I am not so sure. There are indicators that his education was hindered by elements in the Academy. Perhaps with proper tutoring..."

Glaring at her old comrade, Koharu rebutted easily.  
"That would take time that we do not have. No matter what he has suffered, Uzumaki Naruto became a necessary scapegoat and sacrifice to appease the masses of Konoha. Making him a scapegoat here might buy us some time..."

This time Danzou snorted,  
"It won't be that easy. Inuzuka, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuga; all of these clans are beginning to show interest in the boy. Not to mention the last two loyal Sanin. If we simply try to make him the scapegoat of the Uchiha's injuries or some rubbish like that the clan heirs might bring him needed political, if not popular, support. That sort of division is not something that Konoha needs, especially after the attack from Orochimaru."

Koharu sighed, spreading her hands in defeat. "Then what would you suggest?"

About to continue the debate, Danzou was interrupted by the appearance of a loyal supporter.  
"What is it Sai?"

Face covered with a blank mask, the young ROOT member held forward a scroll to his master.  
"The missive from the Capital, Danzou-sama."

Taking the scroll and dismissing the boy, Danzou reviewed its contents.  
Then smirked.

Looking at his compatriots, Danzou asked a question that would change the face of Konoha forever.  
"That last report from Jiraiya said something about Akatsuki, did it not?"

-----

She waited in front of the exam room, eyes red from crying.  
Haruno Sakura was having a MAJOR internal struggle.

On one hand, she had loved Sasuke for YEARS. Giving up friendship, self-respect and, in some cases, human decency to express this.

Luckily, she had started calming down in recent months, from training with her crush and fighting difficult odds as a real Shinobi.

However, her love had disabled her and fled, betraying her and the village.  
Sasuke had been her focus for so long that Sakura had also offered to betray everything that she had worked for and treasured just to go along with him.

On the other hand, she had Naruto.  
No one had really liked the kid growing up. Parents had told their children or any child really, to avoid him since they were young. His constant fighting for her affection had stretched Sakura's last nerve, and made her loathe his existence.

And yet...

Naruto, for all his loud boasts and annoyance, always seemed to protect his friends, fighting for them with everything that he had.  
Finding out that HE had defeated Gaara, instead of Sasuke, really shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did.

Naruto loved her, while Sasuke did not; but he was willing to fight with everything he had to insure the Uchiha's return.

And it had nearly gotten him killed.

Sakura had been 'lucky' enough to see Naruto and Sasuke being brought into the Hospital as she waited for information on the mission. She had seen the damage to Sasuke's back and had nearly screamed... until she saw Naruto.

Cut, bleeding Naruto who wanted to be Hokage with all of his heart, missing a chunk of his right arm.

It hurt to know that without his feelings for her, Naruto might not have fought as hard or as long.  
He might not have defeated Sasuke at such a horrible price.

So Sakura sat and wept, waiting for word on her teammates. Wondering what she could say to Naruto to make his sacrifice worth some puppy love for a pathetic fan girl.

"Sakura?"

Looking up, she tried to stop her tears, but couldn't quite manage it.  
Giving up, Sakura smiled ironically.  
"Hey Ino."

-----

"Are you sure of this?"

Danzou smirked at Homura, reveling in the feeling of power.  
"Positive. When Jiraiya and the container returned with Tsunade and Shizune, only an idiot would have missed their feelings for the brat. I just took the precaution of planning ahead for this sort of eventuality. The Daimyo was kind enough to understand the situation, and will support our removal of a ninja from the ranks over Tsunade's protests for the good of Konoha as a whole. Once removed from the protection of the Military, we can have him killed without major consequence to the village. Seeing this, Tsunade will be left with no other recourse but to banish him."

Nodding her head in agreement, Koharu smiled lightly.  
"Banishment CAN be released later, if we decide that his power is needed. However, one child wandering the countryside will make a much better target than Konoha proper. We KNOW that the Akatsuki won't need the Kyubi for another three years. But if Uzumaki leaves the village, that will force them to waste time and resources to find him. Resources that they, and more importantly Itachi, cannot use against us."

Homura sighed, although he also shared a small grin.  
"It is too bad about the fact that even if he was accepted back, Uzumaki would remain simply a Genin of Konoha. Advancement in three years without any major training would be nearly impossible, and would put him in our power for a long time. It's not like the little fool could maintain a proper training program alone and on the run."

Shaking her head in amusement, Koharu sighed,  
"As if the little idiot was ever actually going to become Hokage! Ha, what a simpleton!"

Shrugging, Danzou visibly savored the feelings of control,  
"We'll just wait until Tsunade finishes her surgery. By then, her exhaustion and lack of information will insure the maximum possibility of success. After all, what could she do with no warning, and no immediate major political allies? Even the clans will hesitate to reject the will of the Daimyo, and never for one little boy."

-----

Hyuga Hinata ran, concern filling her every step and worry her every thought.  
Three of the people closest to her had been hurt.  
Kiba, Neji, and... Naruto had all gone on a major retrieval mission, but the reports that father had received worried her greatly.

The opposing forces, rumored to have been instrumental in the Third Hokage's death, were protecting the Uchiha from any attempt at recovery.

These were her friends out there, facing Ninja of much greater rank and experience!

Hinata had to find out if they were ok!

Although the crying Sakura being comforted by Ino, was not filling her with confidence.

-----

Sighing, Tsunade savored her sake while letting her bones settle and relax after a harrowing afternoon.  
That kid continued to surprise her.

The cellular regeneration surgery had been difficult. While in a more vital location, Neji's injury was significantly smaller and cleaner. Naruto's arm was comprised of fused flesh, burned away with lightning and bleeding from several major arteries. An extremely delicate operation, and almost impossible to complete.

Luckily, Naruto embodied impossible.

Once he recovered his power, Naruto's own naturally rapid regeneration should make up the difference. Apparently, healing one Chidori to the chest had maxed-out most of his reserves.

It was the secondary, follow-up scan that concerned her.

In several places, especially around the skull and neck, blockages appeared to have formed in a uniform pattern. When examined with a surface scan, nothing came up.  
But a more intrusive deep tissue scan, common in post operation situations, had better results.

It seemed that the stomach was not the only place that Naruto had seals in place.

Someone or someone's had, over the course of YEARS it appeared, placed several seals to block the kids development. Jiraiya was STILL going over the construction of the matrix, but several different styles and patterns were in place. Some could easily be broken, others would break down naturally, more would require real effort, but in the end all would be removed.

Cataloging them was taking time, but the signatures seemed stable enough to trace.  
Especially the faint Hyuga-style emblem in the left bicep.  
Or the one that seemed to have Sarutobi-sensei's signature in the right leg.

Staring into the depths of her cup, the Hokage had to wonder.  
_How many people heard you boasting Naruto, and feared instead of laughed?_

"Hokage-sama?"

Looking up at the Chunin that was replacing Shizune for the afternoon, until her recovery was complete, Tsunade narrowed her eyes in irritation.  
"Yes, what is it?"

Bowing quickly to break eye contact, the young man shifted nervously.  
"The Honorable Councilors are here to see you."

Sighing, Tsunade wondered again what she was high on when accepting this job.

-----

He was quiet.

Sakura, Hinata, and Ino shared that thought in eerie synch.

Naruto was recovering in the hospital bed, bandages wrapped around each limb and torso. His breathing was shallow, his heartbeat was slow, and his eyes were twitching rapidly.

The sneaky blonde had been silent and still longer than at any other time within their collective memories.  
Something that scared the group more than they cared to admit.

"Sasuke...Sasuke wasn't worth this..."

Looking at Sakura in surprise, Ino tried to keep her voice down.  
It seemed...wrong... to shout right now.  
"Sakura? What are you talking about?"

Shaking her head, the pinket fought off her tears once more.  
"Sasuke...betrayed everyone...Konoha, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, me... he wasn't worth Naruto getting hurt so badly!"

Holding her head between her hands in frustration, Sakura suddenly felt drained.  
"Even if I don't love him, Naruto deserves better than this... and if his promise to me resulted in any part of these injuries, how can I forgive myself for asking for his strength?!"

Looking at the girl in front of her, Hinata KNEW she should be furious.  
The little, spoilt brat had BEGGED Naruto to bring back Sasuke back, and could be considered responsible for alot of his pain. She had hit him, yelled at him, and used him, but...

Hinata pulled her into a hug.

If she cried for Naruto, Sakura couldn't be all that bad.

-----

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!"

Glaring down at the two old farts in front of her, Tsunade had to focus her temper carefully.  
One false move and the Honorable Councilors would become blood stains on the floor.

"We are giving you an option, Tsunade. Either banish Uzumaki Naruto or we will have him eliminated."

Eye twitching, Tsunade reminded herself to have the standards of mental health evaluations revised shortly. Clearly, these two had gone senile!

"On what charge?! And I SWEAR if you say injuring that little traitor..."

Shaking her head at the impertinence, Koharu decided to cut to the chase.  
"Actually, this is for the good of Konoha."

Taking up where his partner had left off, Homura stared down the angry Sanin calmly,  
"With the successful retrieval of Uchiha Sasuke, we will continue to have resources tied up in countering Orochimaru's efforts to capture the boy. Although killing him would make our lives easier, Sasuke represents too much genetic potential to simply eliminate. Even stripped of his Shinobi status, the Sharingan MUST remain in Konoha."

Taking up the slack, Koharu braved Tsunade's climbing temper. "However, with the advent of Akatsuki, a second force that makes Orochimaru seem minor has come forth. They have already successfully infiltrated the village once, and we lack the resources to protect both elements. Clearly, we must take the path of least resistance."

Rubbing her head in irritation, Tsunade promised to make that revision SOON.  
"And sending Naruto into the jaws of Akatsuki, fulfilling their objectives is BETTER for Konoha, HOW exactly?"

Shrugging, Koharu answered with ease.  
"By dividing our enemies instead of unifying them. Orochimaru will obsess over the Uchiha, concentrating his attention here where we can deflect his efforts. However, Akatsuki will not need the Kyubi for nearly three years. Years that they will waste resources searching for one boy in the Elemental Countries.  
Orochimaru shouldn't waste effort on Uzumaki due to fear of Akatsuki reprisal, so Naruto can wander freely, drawing their gaze from our walls."

Homura broke in, hoping to leave in one piece.  
"Now we CAN release the banishment later, but with Uzumaki out of the village, we have time and energy to rebuild and regroup. It really is for the best..."

***SMASH***

Although stoic, it took their many years of training not to flinch at the atomized remnants of the Hokage's desk.

"So that's it? We just throw him away and destroy his career because it is convenient?! Is that how Konoha ninja treat their comrades?!"

Rolling her eyes at the dramatics, Koharu sighed,  
"Except that Uzumaki is not just a ninja; he is a Jinchuriki and as such, he is Konoha's sacrifice. Maybe we can spare some minor assets to reimburse him later, but Konoha is worth more than the efforts and issues of one little boy."

Seeing that the blond was about ready to shatter them instead of the furniture, Homura decided to wrap things up.  
"We have the support of the Daimyo. It is either banishment, or Naruto is cast out from the ninja program and delt with permanently. We will give you two days to consider. Of course, we are not without SOME mercy. Nothing can be done until the boy is somewhat healthier. Good day."

Leaving, both of the Councilors smiled inside.  
This power was somewhat...liberating...

After all, the councilors ordering the Hokage was new and exciting territory.

Something to consider for the future.

-----

Author's Note's

Ah, it feels good to try this again.

---Possible State-side spoiler alert!!!---

The major point that I want to make is the difference between what the councilors are claiming their motivations are, and what they actually are.

They claim to be dividing the attention of their enemies by baiting both of them.  
Actually, their shit scared of Itachi who was under their orders to kill his clan. Sasuke dies, Itachi gets pissed, he takes it out on the council.

Itachi is their boogeyman, and keeping both of his interest's alive and seperate draws his attention from them.

In other words, their saving their own hides.

I have read several other entries in this challenge, and enjoyed many of them. I am just trying it out, keeping it as close to cannon as possible.  
My theory is, in the original time line, the advisors weren't as worried about possible reprisal because it was clearly Sasuke's choice to leave. Also, a Jiraiya that was NOT busy sealing the Uchiha's chakra and checking over mysterious limiting seals on Naruto could have cleared the training journey more quickly, making their argument for removal moot.

And I would like to point out that Homura was correct; Naruto DOES end up as a Genin after the three year absence and DOES remain under their direct control because of that, even after realizing Kage-level battle potential.

Instead, Danzou could hold onto that bit of political power to prevent his removal at a later date (say, after leaking ANBU ID's to an S-Class enemy ninja).

Yes, I will maintain the rules as far as match-up's go, at least as far as Hinata is concerned.  
Honestly, it's one of my favorite pairings in the genre.  
I am unsure if this will be harem, but I am not really adverse to the idea.  
HOWEVER, I do NOT think that Sakura is some unholy monster to be used and abused because she has a thing for the Uchiha. She's a twelve year old girl who thinks she's in love. How many twelve year olds really know what they want in a husband, anyway?  
Personally, I think she makes a better sister figure than anything.

Just to be clear, though, I am NOT a Kakashi fan. He cleans up his act in the later parts of the manga, but failed HORRIBLY when it mattered most. He won't be slammed per se, but don't expect him to become one of the saints of the story either.

Please review; because I am badly out of practice, and am hopeful that this can grow into a strong story with some constructive help.

Thank you for reading.

---Addition---

Ok, after reviewing the contents of the chapter once more, I realized I need more sleep before posting -_-;;;

Mostly minor changes were made for this revision, centering on grammar tweaks and proper name spelling. Please let me know if I missed anything, and stay tuned.

Chapter two should be out within the next two days. :)


	2. You want to play? Fine, we'll play!

No I do not own Naruto. my Japanese is nowhere good enough for that -_-;;;

For those of you who didn't notice, Chapter One has been revised. Nothing major, but you might want to glance over it again before continuing.

Escape from the Hokage's Hat

Chapter 2: You want to play? Fine, we'll play!

Tsunade stared out upon Konoha, ignoring the remains of her desk, and the Chunin secretary's attempts at bringing in more paperwork.

What had happened to this place?

The Advisor's Council had opposed Sarutobi-sensei for YEARS in regards to Naruto.  
His notes and journals were very detailed in that respect.  
Yet she has the freaking hat for less than a MONTH, and those two old farts manage to dictate terms to her.

Since when has Konoha become a Democracy? She was a military dictator, and was supposed to order her people and ninja forces. Not the other way around.

She didn't know how the Council had managed to gain the Daimyo's favor so quickly, but this move had been carefully made. Countering it directly could bring the village to its knees.

Pausing for a moment, Tsunade thought over that statement again, this time more closely.  
Bring the village to its knees.  
She should care, why again?

Naruto was the one who had brought her back against all odds. He had protected these ungrateful fools for over a decade, only to be abused and disregarded as trash. Heck, he defeated the golden uchiha after being the 'dead last' of his graduating class, despite massive resistance.  
Even if his dreams seemed ludicrous and unreal, the kid clearly had the potential to follow in his father's footsteps.  
Although, Kushina would be proud at the disregard for personal safety he seemed to embody.

The Village had put block after block in his path to the tower, and he was slowly but surely knocking them down. Listening around town, it was clear that his reputation was growing, moving from fear and anger to respect and awe. The successful completion of this latest mission would only add to that impressive resume.

This latest barrier though...  
This was going too far.

Besides, if she let those old fossils get away with such moves now, they would turn her into a figurehead leader within a year. a statement HAD to be made; showing just why you didn't screw with the Hokage.

Now what would be dramatic enough?

Hmmm, she might need help for this one.

"You."

Looking around the fifth stack of paperwork that he had been balancing on the floor, the Chunin sweated at the look in his leader's eye.

"Yes Hokage-sama?"

Nodding in resolution, Tsunade gestured to the door in irritation,  
"Drop that, and get Jiraiya and Shizune to come here at once. I don't care what you have to do, but both of those ninja must be here within the hour."

"Yes Hokage-sama!!!"

-----

Rubbing his eyes in irritation, Jiraiya felt a major headache coming on.  
Why did he always hang around troublesome blonds?

The sealing matrix on Naruto was only partially translated, but he could guess the gist of the rest of it.  
Already, he had a mind to smash some of the village to bits with 'Bunta.

The bulk of the seals near the head were suppression seals, clearly made to prevent chakra from reaching the brain. At least three of them were from a Yamanaka, and another two looked like advanced ANBU-style designs for prisoners. Overtly, they could be argued as buffers to prevent the Kyubi chakra from reaching the brain and possessing the boy. Of course, since the Kyubi chakra was normally purified before reaching the mind by the existing seal and the matrices were not calibrated to one another, most of the kids' mental development was consequently stunted.  
No wonder he only seemed to have natural brilliance when fighting at full power; that was the only time his mind was receiving enough energy to function near normal capacity.

Of course, the fact that they had been in place for at least six to eight years each, and showed signs of slow degradation, was not helping at all.

Two more of the seals looked like Uchiha Genjutsu Suppressers. They could be seared with a simple touch, and often prevented any aptitude in genjustu from being utilized by prisoners. Normally, this was accomplished by screwing with natural chakra control and mental image recognition and retrieval. Someone was obviously worried about the Kyubi granting enhanced illusion abilities, just like the legends spoke of. These were old, but powerful, and might take at least an hour to fix, each.

Four seals on the torso seemed fairly amateurish, probably Chunin level, and were a variation of the seals used on chakra weights. They absorbed Naruto's natural chakra, and made movement seem limited, as if he was weighted down. However, the worst part of these seals seemed to be the lack of Kyubi chakra infusing them. That seriously weakened the Fourth's protection against the Kyubi and Naruto's defense against the fox. This was wery bad news, indeed.

Most of the other seals were minor, designed to hinder coordination and movement in some way. Individually, they weren't more than nasty pranks really. But together, they could be hazardous to a person's health. If it wasn't for some really impressive muscle memory, he would be shocked that the kid could walk, let alone run and fight in any significant fashion.

But the last two...  
Those were each a piece of work.

The Hyuga construct initially seemed like a minor avoidance seal. If Naruto was too close to a Hyuga of the Main House, it would probably generate some odd feelings or sensations. Obviously, the old men of the Family Council didn't want Naruto getting too close to any of the hyuga maidens, or dealing with the clan in general. Not horribly evil on the face of it...

If not for the fact that prolonged exposure to a Main House Hyuga could result in pain or death with the right hand seal.

It was like a valve; energy would build behind it the closer Naruto and the Hyuga remained near one another. They stop hanging out and the energy bleeds within minutes. But if they stay too close, one motion and the energy bursts the valve; killing him instantly. He was just lucky that the caged bird seal would ground out around something like that, or Neji could have ended Naruto in the Chunin exam.

The last one though...  
That was nearly unforgivable for a ninja to carry.  
The Third had placed a Seal Brand on the kid's leg, probably since he was three years old.  
It was a locator used sometimes on high risk prisoners, to make tracking their movements easier.  
With the right knowledge and tools, these ninja could be tracked and observed at any time.  
NO ninja with such a brand should be allowed on the front lines! The possibility of abuse, or worse, an enemy tracking the signal was too high. It was sheer luck the kids natural reserves blanked most of the traces at this point. That would be the first to go, if he had anything to say about it.

Jiraiya sighed as he headed towards the tower.  
Tsunade's summons was a nice break from the moral question this whole fiasco inspired.

If he had stayed in konoha to look after Naruto as his Godfather, could he have prevented this abuse?  
Or would he have followed orders to place his own work in that mess.

-----

Shizune smiled at the tower in front of her.  
Long and productive days always put her in a better mood.

For too many years, she had been forced to run, protecting the reputation and budget of her mistress as much as possible. Learning what medicine she could between drunken binges and gambling parties.  
All in all, being proactive and effective in her efforts was a nice change of pace.

Plus konoha was home; the place where her parents and uncle had lived and died for.  
What more could she ask for than protecting that special place?

Although...  
Taking out some frustration on the bloody little Uchiha had made her day.  
A patch-up order was simple; keep the subject alive, no more, no less.

His back was going to be one massive scar, and a few ribs might have healed a little weak, but the kid would live. It was a shame about the strained hand ligaments damaging his potential to ever shape jutsu again though...

Not that such action would be possible after the chakra suppressor seals Jiraiya had placed all over his body.

Honestly, Sasuke would be lucky to ever see DAYlLIGHT after this was all settled.  
Normally, a traitor might have gotten a prison stay with potential reenlistment in the civilian ranks if there were mitigating circumstances.

For the last 'loyal' member of a bloodline to seek out an s-class ninja who was a sworn enemy of the village... He was lucky to be breathing and a sperm donor.

Smirking as she entered, Shizune wondered what sake she should pick up to celebrate this mission.

No one screwed with HER little brother figure!

-----

Blinking, Jiraiya twisted a finger in his left ear.

"Care to repeat that? I could have sworn I had something crazy in my ear."

Smiling slightly, Tsunade gestured to the two seats in front of the ruined desk. "That was mostly my reaction. Those old idiots are using him as bait to delay the Akatsuki; doing a piss poor job of it to boot. Their worried about something and I'm not sure what."

Sitting down, Shizune barely registered losing control of her legs in shock,  
"But that's...that's ridiculous! we don't simply throw our ninja away like that! they don't have that kind of authority..."

Biting her lip, she looked in her masters eyes, terrified,  
"...do they?"

Shaking her head, Tsunade drank deeply from her sake bottle.  
"On the face of it, no they do not. I'm the Hokage, and Naruto is a ninja under my command.  
All in all, it's fairly straightforward. However, those jerks aren't dumb enough to bluff the authority of the Daimyo. Somehow, they are going to use that authority to override my control of the village.  
We cannot allow this."

Snorting, Jiraiya rubbed his chin.  
"Actually, i had an idea that might come in handy."

Noting their focus was gained, the Toad Sage smirked.  
"Before this whole fiasco started, I was planning on making the kid my apprentice. That could accomplish the same things that they claim banishment would. He'd be gone from the village, the Akatsuki would still be tracking him and avoiding Konoha, but he would be protected under my wing and retain his ninja status.  
What do you think?"

Turning to the window, Tsunade's next question derailed his good mood.  
"Have you finished mapping the secondary seals, their functions, and who placed them?"

Deflating slightly, Jiraiya shifted in irritation.  
"Yeah, there were at least five or six authors there. Primary purpose of each one was to limit him in some way. Suppressed intelligence, focus, chakra control, genjtsu ability; you name it, if it makes you a better ninja, they suppressed it. I've identified the Yamanaka, at least two, captain-level ANBU, one Chunin, the Hyuga, and old man Sarutobi."

Gasping, Shizune looked at Jiraiya in shock.  
"The Third Hokage sealed Naruto!?"

"Not a suppressor seal; that would be bad enough. No, he used a TRACKING seal on a ninja in service.  
Not one of the smartest moves he ever made, that's for damn sure."

Leaning back in her chair, Tsunade still refused to turn around.  
"In your professional opinion, what would happen if these seals were released properly at this time?"

Looking out the window, Jiraiya felt slightly hollow.  
"Well, he'd have a bunch more power. The Chunin badly limited his movement, the Yamanaka and ANBU limited his mind, and the Uchiha practically removed his genjutsu ability. Take off those limiters, and his physical and mental reserves, outside of the fox, would increase dramatically. However, he'd pretty much have to learn everything from scratch. All of his muscle memory was screwed up badly, and his control would be shot again. Frankly, even with the Shadow Clone Jutsu, we're talking years of effort to rebuild everything here. Gradual removal wouldn't help much either, because he'd be stuck at the beginning with every lost seal.  
Honestly, in my opinion the whole matrix is a major FUBAR."

Turning around, both Shizune and Jiraiya were shocked by the sad smile the blonde possessed.  
"If it was anyone else, I would recommend they be removed from service. But if there is one thing that Naruto has shown, it's an ability to adapt."

Blinking, Shizune looked over at Jiraiya,  
"Wait, what did the Hyuga do?"

Hearing the description of that horrible seal, a plot began to form in Tsunade's mind.  
"Well, I have to say Jiraiya; your plan has serious merit. It accomplishes everything that is necessary, and might even be approved by those idiots. However..."

Smacking her palm and fist together, Tsunade GRINNED.

"I don't think the message is strong enough. If Homura and Koharu want to run out the reason I returned to this village, I think that they need to realize the consequences of their actions. Compromising this way puts them in a position of power, one that they really just don't have."

Shizune suddenly felt a new chill. This wasn't the first time such a reaction had occurred.  
They usually preceded a loss at the gambling parlor.

"I want a list of the people who had the authority and the position to accomplish those seals. I then want them in front of Torture and Interrogation within the next few hours. Well, anyone still alive at least. Ibiki is preferred, but i'll take Anko in a pinch. then, I want you to evaluate Naruto's physical recovery and remove said seals as defined by such. In the mean time,there is much to be done; Shizune!"

Jumping to her feet, the brunette hugged Tonton in fear,  
"Yes Tsunade-sama?!"

"I think it's time for another trip. But first, let's do some... shopping."

-----

Groaning, Naruto tried to grab his head in pain...  
Only to bite back a curse.

What the hell was wrong with his arm...  
Oh yeah, Sasuke.

"Naruto?"

Forcing his eyes open, the normally hyperactive blonde looked into the worried green eyes of his teammate.

"Sakura?"

Tearing up for the hundredth time that day, the pink-et grabbed his left hand, and sobbed.  
"Naruto, why, why did you have to get so hurt?!"

Wincing at the pressure, he tried to force a grin.  
"Ne, ne Sakura-chan, I promised, didn't I? I brought him back, and that was a promise of a lifetime."

Smiling despite herself, Sakura nodded sharply.

Looking around, Naruto was surprised by the others in the room.  
"Ino? Hinata-chan? What are you two doing here?"

Laughing uncomfortably, Ino scratched the back of her head,  
"Well, i heard that Choji and Shikamaru were here after the mission, and..."

Eyes widening, Naruto tried without success to get up.  
"Choji?! Shikamaru??! What happened to everyone?!"

"Ano...-kun. Everyone's fine."

Looking over at Hinata, he pierced her with a sharp stare.  
"Are you sure, Hinata-chan?"

Feeling light headed from the attention, the Hyuga heiress nodded rapidly.  
"Neji and Kiba were hurt, but they are recovering with no problems. Choji was in bad shape, but recovered thanks to Tsunade-sama."

Taking over, Ino flashed a bright smile,  
"Shikamaru's just tired with a broken finger. Apparently, it was too troublesome to die out there.  
Also, Lee is recovering nicely after not only his operation, but some sort of engagement out there.  
Oh! and you're never going to believe what happened! The suna genin came and helped with the mission!"

Eyes widening, Naruto gaped at his fellow blonde.  
"Wait, Gaara's here?"

Shivering slightly, Sakura nodded.  
"Apparently, Tsunade-sama was worried about the mission and requested the backup from Suna.  
They volunteered to help for some reason."

Shocking the group, Naruto smiled widely.  
"Mah mah! I'm glad they came. They really aren't that bad once you get through to them."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Sakura quirked an eye-brow,  
"Naruto...what happened out there?"

"Not something that you need to worry about, Haruno."

Looking around, the room was shocked at the appearance of Jiraiya, larger than life and twice as imposing.

"Hey, ero-senin! What're you doing here?"

Glaring at the unwanted title, Jiraiya sighed, smirking slightly.  
"Tsunade sent me. There are some things that she wants me to check over.  
You'll have to talk with your girlfriends later."

Seeing his lost of composure, Sakura couldn't help but laugh at Naruto's expression.  
God she had needed that.  
"Don't worry Naruto. We'll see you after checking in with the others."

Leading the blushing Hinata and irritable Ino out of the room, Sakura left to check in on Lee.  
If Naruto could still be that silly, maybe things would work out in the end.

-----

"Ummm, Tsunade-sama?"

Browsing through the jutsu-scroll section in the Hokage vault, the blonde quirked an eyebrow, unknowingly mimicking Sakura's earlier action,

"Yes Shizune?"

Shuffling under the piles of documents that her mistress seemed to be grabbing at random, the brunette winced. "About Naruto's 'injuries'..."

Picking up a black file, only to add it to the growing pile without looking, Tsunade nodded absently.  
"What about them?"

"How do you think that the seals were imprinted so deeply?"

That caused all movement to cease.

Increasingly nervous, Shizune started to babble, a habit she thought broken at twelve  
(after fighting off twenty mercenaries hired to retrieve a drunken and drugged Slug Sanin).  
"I mean, for them to be below the level that a surface scan would notice, they'd have to be practically imprinted on his organs..."

"Shizune."

Seeing her superiors' cold eyes, she squeaked.

"I have my suspicions about how those particular injuries were acquired.  
If I am right though, I will probably end up killing someone. So let's wait until T & I is finished, ok?"

Gulping, Shizune could practically feel the temperature drop.  
"Hai! Tsunade-sama!"

Smirking, she turned to the video depository.  
"Now then, we have a few more files to review, but let's have a gander over here. I want to have a look at some special entertainment."

Pausing on her way to the video-filled shelves, Tsunade almost seemed to pick up a black cylinder as an afterthought.

Forming a couple of shadow clones to carry their research, Tsunade and Shizune began to head back to the office.

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama?"

Looking over at the bird-faced ANBU in front of the door, she impatiently cracked her neck.  
"I'm in a bit of a hurry, Hawk."

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. but you still need to record your document retrieval before leaving. Security measures from the Third."

Sighing, Tsunade signed the log, adding a notation for one guest, and signed it with a bloody thumb print.

Looking over the order, you could feel Hawk's frown.  
"I'm sorry Hokage-sama, but you didn't give a listing for...urk!"

That by the way, is the sound of a male being choked with one hand.

Looking at him through the eyes of the mask, Tsunade glared.  
"I'm the Hokage, I'm in a rush, these documents are sensitive, and thus their exact existence mustn't be confirmed. Yet you want me to form a PAPER TRAIL with them? perhaps that mask has started to cut circulation to your brain."

Gulping, the ANBU proved his brilliance with the simple act of getting out of their way.

Sauntering off, Tsunade gave him a smirk.  
"Good boy."

-----

Hinata smiled happily, practically skipping on her trip home.  
Everyone was ok! Naruto-kun had talked to her! Someone had said they might be dating!

Surely that meant she could talk with him, without fainting?

Entering her family's estate, the heiress was shocked by the running branch members, gathering around the hallways. Everyone looked solemn and frightened, whispering harshly to one another.

Hyuga tended not to gossip lightly.  
Something bad must have happened.

Spotting a member of her old protection detail, Hinata headed over to find out what had happened.

"Ano, Kaori-san. what's going on?"

Looking down, a tall woman, with blue-black hair held up with a hiate noticed her old charge.  
For once, the child's nervousness did not irritate her; the emotion was all over the house at the moment.

"Hinata-sama, where have you been? You were expected back nearly an hour ago."

Blushing at the chiding tone, Hinata visibly stopped herself from tapping her fingers.  
That particular habit always irritated Kaori badly, for some reason.

"Ano...Neji's team was only cleared for visitors about two hours ago. Checking in with everyone took more time than I thought. There wasn't an event or dinner tonight was there?"

Smiling lightly at her attitude, kaori was thankful about the improved relations between the cousins.  
When Hinata was sent to the branch house, it would simplify things greatly to have a family member near her own age to explain the situation and lifestyle she would adapt.

"No Hinata-sama, nothing like that. It's just that, about twenty minutes ago, five ANBU arrived demanding the presence of Shinji-sama. They gave no reason or explanation, but the action has sent the Council of Elders into a rage."

Paling, Hinata thanked Kaori and hurried (Hyuga DON'T run in their own house) to her room, bolting the door.

Hyuga Shinji was eighty-seven, one of the most bigoted members of the main house, her personal tormentor since the age of four, and one other important thing.  
Shinji was the primary Seal Master of the Hyuga clan.  
His hand had branded hyuga in the caged bird seal for nearly five decades.  
Not one of his seals had ever been found to be flawed or imperfect, even by Hyuga standards.  
His very life was considered a treasure of the whole clan.

If he had managed to cause trouble for the village significant enough to be imprisoned or even killed, it would take YEARS for another Seal Master of his quality to be trained.  
Years that no one would be forced to bear that accursed seal...

Hinata prepared to sleep, wondering if the kami would mind if she wished for his misfortune, if only just a little bit.

-----

The moon had long since risen in the sky before the quiet of the village was shattered by raucous laughter.

"Bwahahahahaha! I can't believe that little brat won the battle with a FART! Oh, that's too rich!"

Chuckling along with Tsunade, Shizune prepared to change the tape out for the next match, not noticing a blushing Hinata handing Naruto some special salve.

Tsunade did though, and her thoughts continued to bubble.

Everyone knew that the Chunin exams were a way of building relations between nations and showcasing strength.

What most people DIDN'T realize was the fact that all matches and interactions were carefully recorded and filed in the high security vault. These recordings were vital to the continued security and development of the new generations of ninja, and an odd piece of data, once analyzed, could result in significant understanding of a villages strengths and weaknesses.

Plus, they made a great diversion from depressing data.

The files that Tsunade had seemingly picked up at random were mostly a front to acquire the Black File. Compacted with special security and storage seals, it detailed operations that most of the continent was not even allowed to contemplate, let alone acknowledge. These were the dirtiest secrets documented by the Hokage's and ANBU captains.

The perfect place to find evidence of official sanction for the seals that Jiraiya had described.

The good news was that no official sanction was recorded; meaning that the orders didn't come from Sarutobi.  
The bad news was that, either the ANBU were acting independently to a significant degree, or someone had a major thumb in the programs pie.

Neither was a particularly wonderful prospect.

The secondary stuff in the file... well... at least she had an idea as to who scared the advisor's council so bloody bad.

Plus the name of a third conspirtor... this was going to get messy.

Luckily, she had a plan forming; she just needed some more bodies.  
However, Jiraiya was STILL unraveling the secondary seal matrix,  
so the main project couldn't start for a little bit.

That didn't mean that she wouldn't make certain arrangements on her own.

"Hokage-sama! Sarutobi Asuma, Yuuhi Kurenai and Maito Gai are here as ordered!"

Sealing up the Black File, Tsunade had Shizune to turn off the tv.  
The next few minutes were going to be awkward with a capital A.

Motioning the three jonin in, she sighed deeply.  
This was going against her sensei's wishes, but she really didn't have a choice.  
"Good evening you three. Hopefully, this will not take too long, but I might be calling upon your services extensively in the near future. So for the moment, prepare for a long stretch of on-site village duty."

Nodding, the Jonin stayed calm and professional.  
Well, as calm as Gai got anyways.  
Although, they had to admit, the nature of her request was odd; especially considering the current state of the Village.

"Now then, normally this would only require two Jonin-level ninja of good standing.  
However, I wanted to make sure that there is no mistake in this, so everyone in this room will bear witness."

Pulling out the black cylinder retrieved from the records vault, she ignored the shocked gazes of Asuma and Shizune. Gai and Kurenai looked clueless, however.

Making eye contact with each participant, Tsunade carefully placed the cylinder on the desk.  
"This is a Security Capsule. They are only used in very extreme situations, when containing documents that must never be lost. The security seals can only be undone by a Hokage and two, high level ninja. Normally, that would be assumed to be the Advisor's Council; however, they and I are having some issues at the moment, and cannot be trusted with something so delicate; especially a BLACK capsule."

Nodding in resignation, Asuma sighed out a line of smoke.  
"Back capsules are exclusive to the security of advanced Hokage documents, especially concerning issues of personal lineage and private techniques, right? So, who set this one up?"

Taking out a pair of scalpels, Tsunade pinned him with a look until the cigarette was gone.  
"The Fourth Hokage did. I believe, based upon the security stamp and location that this record capsule was set up on the night of the Kyubi attack. While I have theories, I want confirmation before mentioning them. Now, each of you must nick yourselves, and add some blood to the top symbol. I'll seal it with my stamp, and it should verify the authority. Begin!"

With practiced ease, each Jonin added a few drops of blood to the cylinder.  
Acting before the small puddle could dry, Tsunade sealed it with her stamp, activating the authorization.

The small cylinder opened, releasing the contents. Most were pictures, with some official documents clipped together. Most prominent, however, was the birth certificate on top of the pile;  
Uzumaki Naruto's birth certificate, including his parents and an attached marriage certificate.  
Suddenly, the village pariah had become the legitimate son of the Fourth Hokage.

The air became rather heavy after that bit of news was confirmed.

A knock on the door shattered the atmosphere rather quickly.

Gathering the paperwork, the Hokage called out for the person to come in.

A grim Ibiki and irritated Anko were not a sight anyone was looking forward to facing.

Putting down a set of folders, ibiki took a seat without waiting for an invitation.  
"Well, Hokage-sama. you are NOT going to like this."

-----

Sighing in relief, Jiraiya sat back in his chair, wiping the condensation from his forehead.  
_Phew, that makes three down, eight to go._

Looking at the prone form of his Godson, he squared his shoulders.  
This was no time to take a break.

Popping a soldier pill, Jiraiya began unraveling the second weight seal, picking apart the strands, one by one.

Slowly, but surely, the small strokes of chakra-enhanced symbolism faded away, leaving a bloody but clear section of chest.

All in all, this project was exhausting.

Removing the tracking and Hyuga seals were relatively simple. Each was a foreign presence, designed to be rather unnoticeable and separate from his body. Sort of like a chocolate chip in some ice cream.  
It's a part of the dish, but easily scooped from the whole.

But when you get into the seals attached to his potential...  
It was closer to removing the vanilla bean flavoring.

These seals had been rooted in his chakra pathways for so long that untangling them felt along the lines of balancing an egg on a spoon; delicate, nerve wracking, and beyond dangerous to the egg.

Removing ONE of the bloody weight seals had already doubled the amount of power flowing through Naruto's chakra network. Another one made his wounds disappear to nothingness.  
Jiraiya might not be a medical ninja, but even he knew it was nuts!

How the heck was Naruto walking with this much strength sealed up?

Sighing, the Toad Sage cracked his knuckles and began to work again.  
The sooner he finished here, the sooner he could research at the Hot Springs!

-----

The headache that Tsunade had been nursing all morning had been going down with each proactive effort.  
The confirmation of Naruto's parentage was just icing on the cake.

But the report from T&I was making that headache look like a simple hangover.

"You are telling me that, as near as you can tell, these idiots DIDN'T coordinate their efforts?!"

Shaking his head, Ibiki had to wonder if Tsunade would be willing to yell at prisoners in her spare time.  
It certainly was enough to scare him!

"Not exactly Hokage-sama. Most of the 'plans' appear to have been formed after a meeting during the Kyubi festival nine years ago. The principals were drunk, and complaining to one another about Uzumaki's ambitions of being Hokage. Of course, we have no Uchiha's left to interview who might have known what happened, but those seem unrelated to the ANBU and Yamanaka efforts."

Picking up a report, he skimmed the contents again to review the details.  
"The principal figures from the Yamanaka were Kenshin and Jinzo. Kenshin was a Chunin at the time of the Kyubi attack, while Jinzo was Inoichi's pupil for about a year before joining Black Ops. Jinzo was killed in action against Sound, but Kenshin paints an interesting picture. A few months after the 'discussion', they were heading home from a bar when the sounds of a fight aroused their suspicions. Looking down an alley, Kenshin realized that a drunken civilian was beating up a child. Jinzo stopped his interference, saying it was the Kyubi brat, and that they should enjoy the show. They waited another ten minutes until the principal attacker left the scene, and made contact with Uzumaki. Seeing this as an opportunity, Kenshin knocked him out, and put a memory inhibitor on the back of his skull. Not to be outdone, Jinzo put a reaction inhibitor over the first seal. Apparently, they had an argument over what to do next when, thinking about Inoichi's daughter entering the academy with the boy, they put a libido seal on top of that. At this point, an ANBU patrol was seen incoming, and the two of them left quickly. They were never implicated until today."

Shaking her head, Anko sighed.  
"Unfortunately, no viable candidates for the Chunin-style weight seals seem to stick out. The only major possibility was Mizuki, and he was killed months ago. However, the style is not distinct enough yet to determine an author. So, without interviewing the kid, we're pretty much out of luck on those."

Flipping through the next transcripts, Ibiki noticed Anko's deepening scowl.  
She had NOT appreciated the initiative of the former ANBU captains.

"The most likely culprit for the first ANBU style seal was the previous Boar. However, he also was killed in action against sound. His record was fairly clean, until he was put on a guard detail for Uzumaki five years ago. It was noticed that Boar was leading the kid into ambushes, so he was suspended for six months and reassigned to border duty. If there is any time span that the seal was placed, it would be then. The nature of the seal is something that Jiraiya is better qualified to explain."

Tapping a file with a red flag, he calmly continued.  
"However, Lion was fairly easy to find as the second culprit. He was forced to retire nearly two years ago due to stress, but the event occurred while he was in the mask. There are not a lot of seal masters of his caliber in the forces, and this had his fingerprints all over it. All we could get out of him was the seal was needed to stop the demon. On the surface, it looked like one of our restraining seals, meant to help break prisoners. However, the values are all off, making it twice as strong as is normally considered safe.  
He...won't be talking again for a while."

Rubbing her eyes in irritation, Tsunade really needed something stronger than sake right now.  
"What did you find out from the Hyuga?"

This time, Anko stepped forward. Obviously, it was taking everything she had to stop from breaking things. or people.  
"Oh, the little shit was a real piece of work. Seems like he noticed that Hinata chick checking out Uzumaki while training, and got this twisted little idea."

Starting to pace, Anko didn't quite notice how her voice was raised and her nostrils were flaring.  
No one really wanted to call her on it.

"He caught Uzumaki a few nights later, and knocked him out with a Juken strike. Then, he inscribed the seal and runs, leaving the kid in the street. His first idea is to make Uzumaki associate the Hyuga with negative emotions, but his back up idea is the sick part. You see, he figured that if Hinata liked the kid, she might get close to him, and if that happened, she'd be in the perfect position to kill him."

The silence was deafening.

Cracking her neck, Tsunade pinched her nose in irritation.  
"How exactly was she supposed to accomplish this?"

Grinning hollowly, Anko met the Hokage's gaze, ignoring the worried looks from her fellow jonin.  
"She'd get close, start seducing him, and then, when no one was looking, use the right hand sign to induce a heart attack. Shinji-kun thought that threatening her with the Caged Bird Seal early would be enough to gain her cooperation. Luckily, they never got close enough for him to initiate the plan."

Closing her eyes, Tsunade calmly said,  
"No, you don't get to kill him, Anko."

Noting the sudden pout, Tsunade let out a small grin.  
"We're going to do something MUCH worse."

Seeing that the reports were accepted, both Ibiki and Anko prepared to leave, only to be stopped by one final question.  
"I notice that no one mentioned any sealing brushes and ink. Was there any particuar reason for that?"

Pausing briefly, Ibiki answered hoarsely,  
"Brushes and ink were not mentioned because they made the seals in his own blood, within the wounds, Hokage-sama."

With that, the door shut with an air of finality.

Slumping, the blond felt twice her apparent age,  
"This is why I hate being right."

Seeing the advent of rage in her apprentice's eyes, Tsunade decided to focus the emotions into something useful.

"Shizune, I want the accounts of the Hyuga, the Uchiha, the Yamanaka and both ANBU brought before me. It is my decision that financial restitution will have to be made at this time. Except for Shinji; he's getting something MUCH worse."

Nodding dully, the brunette left the room.

Looking around at the tired Jonin, it occurred to Tsunade that it had been a very long day, and several things still needed to be done tommorrow. but first...

"Kurenai, I saw your student present some medical cream to Naruto in the Chunin Exam recordings.  
You wouldn't happen to have a sample, would you?"

Blinking at the sudden change of subject, the Genjustu Mistress reached into a pack and tossed a small bottle to the Hokage.  
"I'm not sure what she uses, but Hinata is actually quite good at this sort of thing. We practically bathe in the stuff after training."

Testing a sample between her fingers, the blonde smiled at the quality.  
The idea that had been forming in the back of Tsunade's mind erupted in full force.

"I would like you to bring Hinata with you tomorrow at about eight. Try to nab the Haruno too, if you can.  
I think I have a proposition for you."

Nodding, Kurenai led the subdued and reflective Asuma and Gai out for the evening. They all agreed; alcohol was needed if any sleep was going to be found.

Thinking about what she had learned, Tsunade decided there really wasn't any choice at all.

Taking a pen, she began to write a series of orders to be ratified the next day.

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is made Chunin on my authority._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is made my second apprentice on my authority._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is to be granted in financial restitution, the sum of Two Million Ryo from the Uchiha account for blatant attacks of violence on his person and attempts to sabotage his career._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is to be granted in financial restitution, the sum of One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Ryo from the account of one Yamanaka Kenshin for conspiracy to physically assault and inducing long term injury._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is to be granted in financial restitution, the sum of One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Ryo from the estate of Yamanaka Jinzo for conspiracy to physically assault and inducing long term injury._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto is to be granted in financial restitution, the sum of Three Million Ryo from the account of Hyuga Shinji for conspiracy to commit assault and murder._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that, due to the abuse of authority that Hyuga Shinji has committed, he shall be remanded to the Konoha Mental Health care facility for the remainder of his natural life._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that, due to the abuse of authority that Hyuga Shinji has committed, a full review of the Caged Bird Seal be conducted, and a method developed to remove it from the ninja forces, in case this effort is repeated._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Uzumaki Naruto, due to health concerns, be released to the care of myself, and Jonin Shizune for medical treatment and rehabilitation. to insure maximum focus is given to the problem, both myself, Senju Tsunade and Jonin Shizune are to be released from all professional, legal, past, present and future obligations to konoha for the duration of the treatment, which will be ongoing._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that Jiraiya of the sanin will be my replacement and temporary successor for the position of Hokage. He will not have the authority to issue A-rank or S-rank missions for the first six months of my absence. Nor will he be able to modify or establish treaties with foreign powers. If my absence goes beyond six months, he is to be instated as the Sixth Hokage with the privileges and responsibilities that entails._

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that the genin known as Uchiha Sasuke be permanently stripped of ninja rank and confined to the ANBU cell block, code named_ **-The Underworld-**_ for the duration of his natural life. Genetic samples may be taken and distributed to a maximum of six kunoichi candidates and six civilian candidates. Samples will stop upon the completion of twenty one successful pregnancies. No sexual intercourse is to be granted to Uchiha Saskue for security reasons. Candidates will be reviewed by the acting Hokage and suitable clan heads._

There would be more tomorrow, and she'd have to be careful of the order of sealing, but now the opening volley was set.

"Ok you old idiots, you want a war? Well, you sure as hell have got one!"

-----

Author's notes

Aiya, that was a bit of a monster, wasn't it? 0_o;;;

I tried to push the story along a bit, but it is slow going. The two day limit that the Councilors gave Tsunade is adding a lot of urgency to the situation. Everything needs to be done five minutes ago, and there is a real lack of resources to tie the whole mess together.

Heck, Tsunade hasn't even told Jiraiya about the promotion yet!

Now, Tsunade is a fairly vengeful person, but this is more thought out than you might think.  
The Advisor Council has made Konoha their domain, and Tsunade is faced with a situation with relatively little power. To get that power back, she needed to force the game to change, and that's more easily done outside of the village at the moment.

If you thought that I overdid it with the seal restrictions, let me reiterate. This initial part is mostly based upon the MANGA, not the anime. I will be using the anime for the next part, but until now, we have to assume that Naruto's behavior is mostly a mask for the village. He actually isn't stupid, just uninformed. Based upon his lineage, I think something else has to be contributing to these mental blocks.

Besides, it's fun to write.

Now the name of the game is undermining the Advisor's Council. As shown, they've gained a taste for power, and if that is not nipped in the butt, it WILL get out of control later on. With particularly nasty consequences, if I say so myself.

For those of you interested in seeing what happens when seals are abused, check out Lord of the Land of Fire. He has at least two stories that cover this subject, and Jiraiya's monologue in this chapter is actually homage to his work on 'The True Monster.' Although his other story 'A Few Angry Words,' qualifies as well.

Oh, and thank you for your comments and reviews. The PM's, reviews and flagging notices have been most welcome, and inspire greater industry. A particular shout out to MegaB for his strict yet insightful comments, that led to the revisions of Chapter One. please continue!


	3. Complex Confrontations and

No I do not own Naruto. My attempts at romance are traditionally worse than that.

Chapter Three: Complex Confrontations and Difficult Decisions

Haruno Sakura really didn't think that the world should start so early today. Yet, forgetting to turn off the alarm, she found herself eating some toast at the bloody hour of Six A.M.  
After spending hours outside of operating rooms and being emotionally wrung like a sponge yesterday, she was actually looking forward to some rest and relaxation. Sleep in, visit Naruto and the others in the hospital, see if Ino wanted to get a bite...

Shuddering at the sudden chill, Sakura took a sip of tea.

...oh, and get up the guts to find out if Kakashi-sensei knew what was going to happen to Sasuke.

As much as she wanted to, Sakura couldn't really believe that the punishment would be light. Sasuke had broken some MAJOR laws, and the actions against the retrieval team wouldn't go over very well. Realistically the Uchiha was looking at anything from jail time to execution, something she couldn't decide how she felt about.

Snorting into her tea, Sakura took a moment to look at her motivations rather frankly.  
_Heck, last week I probably would have clocked Naruto over the head for hurting poor Sasuke, CHA!_

She might love Sasuke, or believe that she loved Sasuke, but Sakura wasn't just a doll. Despite her lack of original skills, she too saw herself as a Konoha Ninja, and Sasuke's actions were difficult to shrug off.

Traitors were one of the most vilified elements of the Konoha Academy's history lessons. The names of various traitors were hammered into their minds, along with the horrific deaths and chaos that ended their lives, to the point that it was one of the worse insults a person could use. Heck, the kids on the playground were never, ever cruel enough to use it casually as an insult. Not even against Naruto, and he was one of the most picked upon kids in the entire place. Of course, SUCCESSFUL traitors like orochimaru were not mentioned as much, for fear of inspiration and corruption.

What made it worse was the intensely personal nature of Sasuke's betrayal. He had hurt her, devalued her and spit upon the bonds that they had formed in Team Seven. Although she hadn't been thrilled about the team with Naruto there, Sakura had to admit they formed an interesting little pseudo-family. A group of comrades that had taken a very special place in each others' hearts, and a bond that tied them all together. Spitting upon the bond hurt more than anything else she could think off, outside of seeing Naruto wrapped up like a mummy. The whole situation made her heart ache, and head throb.

However, you don't simply go from obsessing about someone for years to cursing their name. Sakura's feelings for the Uchiha were still there, tempered by recent events, but still central to her world view. Without Sasuke...she felt like nothing.

The sad truth of it was, Sakura had built her ninja career around her precious 'Sasuke-kun', and was now far behind both of her squad mates. Was it even worth it, after being let down like that? Would the trials in the Land of Waves, the Chunin Exam and the missions in between trully become that worthless to her?

A sudden flash of green caught her eyes, bringing Sakura's attention to the orange sun behind the trees outside. Suddenly, she thought of Lee and Naruto; two crazy losers who trained with everything they had to become strong. The image brought a smile to her lips.  
Focusing her resolve, Sakura was sure of one thing; she didn't want to quit anymore. What happened with Sasuke would happen, despite what she may or may not want, but she was a ninja and that would not change now.

Sighing at the odd sense of loss, Sakura thought about another pot of tea before hearing a light knock on the door. Blinking at the noise, she hurried over to find a slightly haggard Kurenai and Hinata waiting on her doorstep.

"Good moring Kurenai-sensei, Hinata-san. Was there something I could do for you?"

Nodding at the greeting, the Genjutsu Mistress left no room for debate. "Good morning, Haruno-san. You've been summoned to the Hokage's office with us this morning. We need to leave within the next few minutes to get there on time."

Eyes widening in confusion, Sakura shrugged, went back to the kitchen to shut off the stove, and proceeded to lock the door on her way out. With the luck Sakura had been dealing with this week, it wouldn't surprise her if she was supposed to kill Sasuke today.

God only knew what else the Hokage would want this early in the morning.

-----

_Get the Demon!  
Monster...  
Stay away from the freak!  
Murderer...  
Filth...  
__MONSTER!!!!_

There's a fun side-effect about limiting a persons mental growth for nearly a decade.  
They have trouble with their memory.

That might not seem like such a big deal, but our childhoods define us like no other time period in our life. With the limiting seals removed, years of suppressed memories flooded Naruto's dreamscape like a tsunami. Every time he was yelled at, scorned, spit upon, or neglected was revisited in nightmarish Technicolor.

A plethora of agonies attacked without warning, since Jiraiya had been less than forthcoming about the reasons for his treatment. Under a forced sleep-jutsu, Naruto couldn't even cry out in pain.

Luckily, physical abuse was fairly unusual; the first couple of villagers caught had been killed by the ANBU. But that didn't stop people from using every other method at their disposal to obliterate his happiness. Shouting was common, along with vile and nasty glares, thrown trash and swearing; not the sort of childhood a well-adjusted kid went through.

Surprisingly, though, the darkness couldn't overwhelm him completely; Naruto was stronger than that. For every thrown bottle he'd remember ramen with the Third, every cold look was countered by a hug from Ayame, every insult to his dream suddenly seemed minor to Iruka's hiate. A kind smile from Hinata or Sakura, a hand up from Sasuke, acknowledgement from Haku, a pat on the head from Jiraiya, a smirk from Tsunade; all of these events built a barrier that held back the hate and pain in Naruto's mind. Even as the lack of seals opened the flood gates to his darkness, Naruto's will brought forward the goodness in his heart.

Although after that night, it would take a lot of effort to sleep properly.

Relief finally came when the chakra holding the sleep jutsu failed from his struggles.

Gasping, the blonde woke with a start, grasping his head in pain.  
Why the heck did it feel like his brain was on fire?

"Ah you're awake, Naruto-kun."

Looking up, Naruto blinked at the smiling visage of Shizune.

"Shizune-nee-chan? what happened? My head is killing me."

Holding his forehead in pain, Naruto missed the flash of suppressed rage that flashed through the young woman's eyes. Yesterday's revelations were still too raw and fresh for her to shrug off.

"Tsunade-sama will be able to explain it better than me, Naruto-kun. Yesterday's treatment just aggravated some old injuries that we had to deal with. It might take some time to adjust. I'm here to check in on your status, as well as the rest of the retrieval team. Tsunade-sama will be by later to look in on you, and deal with any questions, ok?"

Nodding slightly, Naruto then remembered one little detail he had to deal with.

"Err, Shizune-nee-chan? can it wait until after I go?"

Blushing slightly, Shizune couldn't keep back a small chuckle.  
"Of course, Naruto-kun, go right ahead. Just let me know if you need any help, ok?"

Smiling, the blonde tried to get out of bed.  
...and fell flat on his face.

Blinking in surprise, Shizune hurried over to help him off the floor.  
"Are you ok, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto's response was slow in coming. After the headache had calmed down, he had realized a distinct lack of pain in his body. Naruto knew that he healed faster than normal, but this was a little ridiculous, even for him. However, every movement felt really weird; if he tried to move his left foot his right arm twitched, his right arm caused his right calf to shift, and so on.

It was like his wires were crossed or something.

"Shizune-nee-chan, why can't I move right?"

Sighing, the brunette medic helped him to stand and guided him to the bathroom. "That's part of what Tsunade-sama will be talking to you about, Naruto-kun. Don't worry though, we'll do our best to help you fix it."

After a slightly embarrassing five minutes for everyone involved, Shizune and Naruto returned to the room blushing.

Hey, she might be a medic, but she liked the kid. Seeing him this helpless was a little embarrassing and worrisome. Any other feelings were completely inappropriate for the situation and their respective ages.

Not to say they didn't happen, but that was an issue for another time.

"Alright Naruto-kun, let's have a look at your injuries, ok?"

Nodding rapidly, Naruto tried to put the last few minutes out of his mind. A process that was surprisingly difficult compared to his normal efforts.

Shizune activated her healing chakra palm, and proceeded to scan all over his body; another action that Naruto was having trouble ignoring for some reason. The results were nothing less than shocking.

Naruto's wounds were long gone. Every tear, every scrape, every missing chunk was completely resotred, as if the injury was never there. All signs of the damage to his arm had disappeared, and she couldn't even tell that there was a graft in place.

This sort of cellular regeneration though...

"Well, Naruto-kun, it's much better than I expected. Leave those bandages on for a few more days and you'll be right as rain. Now I want you to stay put, ok? No leaving this room for any reason. In the mean time, I'll have some food brought up to help you recover your strength."

Leaving the flustered young man, Shizune headed out to check on the others; after talking to the cat-faced ANBU guard at the door of course.

They wouldn't want any...accidents... while Naruto was recovering, now would they?

-----

Hyuga Hiashi was not a man to be kept waiting. After the abduction of elder Shinji the night before, he had fully expected a summons to the tower within the hour. However, with no word all evening, the Hyuga clan head was forced to come himself to demand information.

That was bad enough.

However, the standing orders to deny him entry until the Hokage let him in were downright rude. As the head of the most powerful remaining clan in Konoha, an audience with the Hokage on clan business was his right and privilege. Being forced to wait like this was a most grievous insult; one he would be explaining in great depth to that blonde witch once they were in the same room.

Seeing the form of Shizune, the Hokage's apprentice approaching, Hiashi decided this was the ideal time to act. Everyone knew that her love of the Hokage was only matched by her love of preserving her mistress's image. Surely she could understand how bad it was to alienate a clan as powerful as the Hyuga?

Poor, poor Hiashi.

Standing abruptly, Hiashi blocked Shizune's way to the office,  
"Shizune, what is the meaning of this? The Hyuga are most displeased by this...this theft of Shinji-sama. I must be allowed to see the Hokage to correct this injustice!"

Giving him a cold glance, she was uncharacteristically blunt. "Hiashi-sama, the Hokage will meet with you once there is room in her schedule. She is, after all, an extremely busy woman."

Shifting to the side Shizune bypassed the shocked man completely, locking the door behind her.

No one had dared to talk like that to him in YEARS!  
There would be BLOOD over this outrage!

But that was not the end of it.

Jonin Kurenai, along with his eldest and the Haruno brat, also proceeded to the door ahead of him! What was this idiocy?!

"Hinata."

Stopping at the cold tone, Hinata timidly stopped in front of her father, "Yes father?"

Looking down his nose, Hiashi practically GROWLED, "Why are you going to the Hokage's office?"

Stepping between the two, Kurenai coolly replied for her charge. Hinata was practically her little sister, and she would be damned if this jerk tore her apart before an important meeting. Judging from yesterday, Tsunade-sama was probably STILL in a bad mood. "We were summoned, Hiashi-sama and are responding as loyal ninja of the Leaf. If you would excuse us..."

Guiding the two girls through the door, the click of the lock seemed to echo in the air. Hiashi was not amused. Perhaps a talk with the Advisor's Council in the next couple of days would beat some sense into that woman. If anyone could manage it, those two could.

Poor, poor, STUPID Hiashi.

-----

Smiling at the small victory, Kurenai turned in relief; only to sweat-drop at the sight of Tsunade sleeping on her desk, dead to the world. It was a bit of an adjustment after dealing with the third for so many years. Shizune was already acting to rectify the situation, though.

"Tsunade-sama! It's time to wake up! Your appointment with Jonin Kurenai, Hyuga Hinata, and Haruno Sakura is about to begin!"

A small snore was the only response.

"Tsunade-sama!!!"

Bolting up, the Hokage's head seemed to increase in size by a factor of six, scaring the occupants of the room into submission. Although Sakura noted to ask later if she was the one who taught Iruka-sensei that trick. "Enough! I'm awake, Shizune!"

Shrinking back, her apprentice nodded quickly.  
"A..ano..."

Looking up, Tsunade saw the nervous visage of Hinata, eyes widening slightly,  
_This is the one who shinji thought could kill Naruto? She looks like she could barely hurt a fly._

Gulping, Hinata hated herself for asking, but felt this was her duty, "H..Hokage-sama...my father is waiting outside. Should we come back later?"

Frowning at the sheer terror the child seemed to be suppressing, Tsunade shook her head.  
"No, I summoned you three, not him. In fact, that reminds me of something..."

Reaching into her desk, Tsunade pulled out some papers for review. Taking a selection of them, she then wrote out two or three new orders and sealed them with the Hokage stamp to make it official.

"Shizune! Take these to the bank at once. I also want the amounts to be removed from the accounts, NOT transferred. With his luck, it would get lost in a paper misfiling. Oh, and I want the red form to be processed last."

Blinking at the odd requests, Shizune read over the orders with widening eyes, "But Tsunade-sama! These orders..."

Smirking at the look, she shot the stupefied girl a wink, "When I play hardball, I don't kid around. Besides, with Hiashi stuck here for a bit, there is no better time to accomplish such actions. The entire total amount MUST be removed from the bank before you give them that red order. Let's see the two old farts deal with this little mess. Oh, and feel free to remove your savings for the trip as well."

Nodding absently, Shizune fled for the bank as quickly as possible.

Smiling at her surprised guests, Tsunade had them take a seat,"Now then, first things first. Sakura!"

Gulping at the tone, Sakura tried to force a smile past her fear. There were only one or two things that the Hokage might want to talk about with her right now. Neither of them was extremely pleasant if brought up over the protests of the Hyuga Clan head.

"I wanted for you to hear about the actions being taken against Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto from me directly. Kakashi was sent on an S-rank mission after their successful retrieval yesterday, and this is unfortunately a touchy subject. Believe me, as much as I'd like to deny it, I've been there."

Confused about the comment concerning Naruto, Sakura squared her shoulders. This was going to hurt, no matter what she thought or did.

"Uchiha Sasuke, due to his traitorous acts and conspiracy to willfully assault Konoha ninja with enemy forces, is to be imprisoned without the possibility of parole. Two Jonin and six Genin of konoha were put at risk because of his actions; something that cannot be forgiven. He will be granted no visitors, and is permanently banned from ever regaining his position."

Sakura wanted to cry, but simply looked down is sorrow. Sasuke might have been someone she loved deeply, but even she couldn't help but acknowledge it could have been worse. She could have seen his head falling in the central square.

Pinching her nose at the pain in Sakura's eyes, Tsunade continued, "As to Naruto..."

Lifting her head in confusion, Sakura blinked in surprise, "What's wrong? I thought that he was going to be alright?"

Thinking for a minute, Tsunade made a series of hand seals. Kurenai was impressed by the feat; that was a very high level security seal genjutsu, and would have left her gasping for a day or so. Tsunade didn't even look winded.

"What I am about to reveal to you is a fairly important secret. The level of secrecy involved won't matter in about two days, so you can talk to others about it then. But until forty-eight hours pass, not one word of this can reach anyone in the village. Not your family, not your friends, not even Kakashi. Do you three understand?"

Nodding, the three kunoichi leaned in. They might be ninja, but secrets were also the sort of thing that any group of females wanted to hear. Especially about a boy they knew.

"Naruto was a mess when he came in. I will not lie; if Kakashi hadn't been met with those medics before returning, Naruto would be dead right now."

That brought a chill to everyone's spines. Hearing about how two friends had nearly killed each other was never a pleasant conversation.

"In the course of his treatment, we discovered that someone had placed limiting seals on Naruto YEARS ago. There are suppressors on everything from his natural memory to muscle movements. We identified numerous people involved in the placement, and brought in the suspects for review last night. I'm sure that the Hyuga were most displeased when Shinji was captured for questioning."

Starting, Hinata looked at the Hokage in shock, "S..shinji-sama hurt Naruto-kun?"

Nodding in resignation, Tsunade was almost shocked by the fire in the little Hyuga's eyes. "W..was it because of me? did I do something...?"

"No Hinata, not exactly. The nature of the seal appeared to be some sort of... failsafe. If triggered correctly, though, it would have caused a heart attack."

Seeing the looks of surprise on the two girls' faces, she decided to continue before things got out of hand. "Apparently, some people got it into their heads that Naruto's claims at being Hokage couldn't be allowed to occur. Over the course of a couple of years, each group added some different seals. I won't release all the names right now, but they'll be common knowledge by the end of the week. The final result, however, was not something that we were expecting."

Shaking her head in shock, Sakura stared at the Hokage, "But, that makes no sense! Naruto might be a little annoying, but why would anyone do that to a kid?"

Tsunade sighed in regret, "I cannot answer that at the moment, Sakura, although I'm sure you'll find out soon enough. What is important is that Jiraiya removed the seals last night, resulting in all of that power returning. The result was practically the equivalent of a kekkei genkai; rapid healing unlike anything I have ever seen before. This being said after I saw Naruto take a lethal strike to the chest when we first met. It is truly astounding."

Shaking her head, Sakura smiled lightly, "But, that's a good thing, isn't it? Naruto actually had a kekkei genkai, and now it's fully awakened?"

"No, he had something LIKE a kekkei genkai; and his problems are not finished. Because of the damage the seals generated, Naruto's entire muscle memory has to be rewritten. Not to mention, his chakra control is worse than ever. It will make his ninja duties significantly more difficult to facilitate, and rehabilitation will be ongoing. From what I understand, he isn't even coordinated enough at the moment to walk in a straight line."

Gulping, Sakura nodded. That did sound very bad, especially for a ninja. A miss-coordination in the field could result in dead teammates and failed missions. Not something that Konoha could risk.

Noting the depression, Tsunade decided to get to the heart of the matter. "Don't worry Sakura; I'm going to deal with his recovery, along with Shizune, directly. However, to get a better idea of his general abilities, I was hoping that you could explain the training program that Kakashi put you through. After that, I might have a better idea what to do to help Naruto, and yourself for that matter. I don't think that Team Seven can survive the current situation, do you?"

Nodding in defeat, Sakura began to talk.

-----

The head of Konoha's number one bank had seen many things; but the orders in front of him were more disturbing than Gai's sunset genjutsu.

"How much do you need taken out of circulation!?!"

Shizune stared down the bureaucrat with ease. Years of Tsunade's antics had made her immune to the manipulations of banks and money-lenders. "Eight million Ryo from the listed accounts; I don't see what the problem is, in all honesty."

Eyes tearing in pain, the banker gestured at the numbers in frustration, "Some of these families are among the most valued in Konoha! I can't just take three million Ryo from the Hyuga without explanation! Not to mention that one of these accounts doesn't exist anymore! Yamanaka Jinzo's account was reabsorbed when he died against Sound!"

Shrugging, she easily countered, "Then remove the contents from the Yamanaka clan. When they reabsorbed his account, they became liable for his debts. Also, the Hyuga elders don't bother with personal accounts, so the fine will have to come from them directly."

Grumbling, the official gathered the necessary funds, finishing pilling the last of the money in front of Shizune within an hour. Nodding at the amount, Shizune proceeded to seal the balance into a personal sealing scroll for safe keeping. "Now that that has been accomplished, I have been told to present you with this executive order."

Eyes narrowing in irritation, he snapped up the paper.

_I, Senju Tsunade the Fifth Hokage, do hereby decree that, until such time that a full review of the accounts is made, all funds and properties of the Namikaze Estate held in trust be frozen until an in-depth analysis is made and presented to the Hokage personally._

Gaping at the order, the banker wanted to cry, "This order will tie up nearly twenty percent of our remaining sources of available revenue! Between the costs of repairing the village and the day to day missions this will make running the village practically impossible!"

Staring down the little man until he flinched, Shizune just smiled pleasantly, "Then you had better get to work, ne? Oh, and on that note..."

Handing him the red order, Shizune left; thankful that she had cleared out her account before entering the office.

Gulping, he looked it over before crying. The bank was ruined!

_I, Senju Tsunade, do hereby decree, as executive officer of the Senju Trust, that all facilities, resources, accounts and stocks of the trust be frozen until such time that a full review is preformed or a majority vote can be accomplished. Since, of the last three listed account heads, I am the only one still alive; I guess that means no access untilI say so, ne? That is, unless you can review twenty five thousand individual accounts, stocks and properties within less than a decade._

-----

Tsunade, Kurenai, and Hinata all stared at Sakura in shock. Feeling self-conscious, she rubbed her arms in irritation. "What?"

Not bothering to keep the disbelief out of her voice, Tsunade listed back the high points of the discussion, "Kakashi had you perform various D-rank missions, taught you the basics of Tree Climbing, held team meditations twice a week; he sent you into the Chunin Exams with that much training and only six months of experience? Just how irresponsible is he!?"

Feeling the need to defend her teacher, even if she agreed with the sentiment, Sakura was about to answer when Hinata interrupted her, "Ano, Sakura-san? Kurenai-sensei didn't think about giving us access to the Chunin Exams until our team mastered Tree Walking, Water Walking, and Tree Walking while preforming the Leaf Balancing exercise for an hour, each. Those were just the chakra control exercises she had us do for basic training, not counting jutsu recognition and taijutsu practice for at least two hours a day. I think we're just surprised about the lack of similar training you received."

Closing her mouth with a snap, Sakura scratched her head in embarrassment, "Well, Kakashi-sensei was always at least two hours late, and we were usually pushed into missions as team training exercises. plus..."

Looking down, she continued quietly, "...plus, I think that he gave Sasuke some extra help every now and then after practice."

Kurenai shook her head in exasperation, "Team development is all well and good, but individual skills are important too. When I saw Naruto's initial fight with Kiba, I thought he was lazy in his combat training, relying on instincts rather than form. Now,I suspect that he wasn't GIVEN any taijutsu training at ALL. With the help he clearly needed in the department, that's borderline criminal!"

Shaking her head in agreement, Tsunade sighed, "Not just for Naruto, but you as well, Sakura. Judging from your descriptions, Kakashi's reports, and your own fight during the semi-finals, your control is exceptional. However, despite some basic genjutsu recognition training, he didn't seem to push you as he should have. Weapons training to equalize limited strength, weight training to increase physical development, strategy tutoring to utilize your mental ability; any of these additions to your schedule would have improved your abilities significantly. The only reason that you seemed to survive the Chunin Exams in the first place is the absurd balance your team had. But that wasn't enough to insure your progression, and luck more than anything insured Naruto's."

Looking in Sakura's eyes, Tsunade couldn't help but feel a little guilty about tearing the kid apart. She clearly had the talent, and some of the necessary drive; Sakura just lacked the practical experience that she should have received by now. "Tell me that your training during the month between the second and third exams was more comprehensive at least."

Blinking past the depression of their analysis, Sakura twitched, "Training during the exam month?"

Nodding, Tsunade smiled, "Yeah, I heard that Naruto was picked up by Jiraiya by accident, something about beating Ebisu for the chance, but what did Kakashi have you work on during that month?"

Shaking her head in resignation, Sakura sighed, "Nothing. Kakashi-sensei left with Sasuke right after the second round. I didn't even see him until the finals, and didn't receive any sort of word as to what was happening that month."

-----

Suddenly, in a land far away, Kakashi felt a chill; as if someone was walking upon his grave.

-----

Leaning back, Tsunade squared her shoulders. This was going to be tricky, "Haruno Sakura, I have determined the next course of action we are going to take. Since your team is effectively dissolved, I am reassigning you for a period of six months to work under Kurenai-sensei here. After that time period, if you have progressed significantly enough, I will recommend that Shizune take you on as an apprentice. Your stats and skills make you a serious contender for medical ninja training. If you impress Shizune enough, I will supplement your training myself. Is this understood?"

Saddened by the loss of her team, Sakura tried to keep firm. If she was going to move beyond being a Sasuke fan girl, then this was an excellent first step to take...however...

"Hokage-sama...before that...could I see Naruto, and maybe...Sasuke? just to say goodbye?"

Seeing the look in her eye, Tsunade shrugged. It would probably hurt her more than anything, but some closure might help Sakura move on. "Very well; after we're done here, Kurenai will take you to see Naruto and Sasuke for a quick visit. Remember, Naruto is still recovering but has healed up significantly from yesterday. So don't excite him too much. Also, don't mention Sasuke's punishment either; that'll be my job later tonight."

Turning, the Hokage smirked at Hinata, "Now, what to do with little Hinata-chan, hmmmm?"

Blinking, Hinata shivered at the gaze the Hokage directed at her. Why did she suddenly feel disturbed?

Smilling, Tsunade shocked them all with her next statement, "Yes; I think that you might actually have what it takes to be my new apprentice at the moment. Your chakra control is excellent, your Byakugan is a natural healer's tool, and of course there is this."

Reaching into her desk, Tsunade threw a small jar in her direction. Seeing some of her special salve, Hinata looked up in confusion. "Where did you get this, Hokage-sama?"

"Kurenai gave it to me. Based upon that, your previous training and the fact that the Hyuga have managed to contribute significantly in undermininig Naruto's development, you would make a perfect second apprentice. Your skills are sufficient but, more importantly, it would piss off the Hyuga elders to no end for you to help in Naruto's recovery."

Hinata twitched at that, but Tsunade was too wrapped up in her rant to notice.

"In fact, the idea that you would be central in his recovery might give them a heart attack! Now before you say anything, Sakura, I might have normally been willing to take you on as an apprentice if the political situation was not so bad."

Lowering her hand, Sakura stared at the Hokage in confusion, a feeling she was getting rather used to in all honestly. "Political?"

"Yes, this whole mess has generated political complications that will require me, Naruto and anyone involved in his treatment to leave the village for a bit. I'm appointing a proxy, but a message needs to be sent to certain figures within the village hierarchy. I am actually worried about your field skills at the moment, hence the training under Kurenai. However, if the business takes longer than six months, and your skills are sufficient, you will be offered that place under Shizune, ok?"

Feeling mollified, Sakura sunk in her chair. If she wanted such an opportunity, she honestly should have expected to do more than stomp up to the woman and demand it.

That's when everyone else noticed that Hinata had fainted upon hearing the phrase 'leaving with Naruto.'

-----

Yamanaka Inoichi was not a stupid man. He might be slightly pushy, a little flirty (at least when his wife wasn't around) and spoil his daughter a bit; but he was never stupid.

That's why, when he saw the Hyuga Clan head sitting on the bench in front of the Hokage's office, he sat down and shut up. This was obviously not going to be a misunderstanding like he thought previously. The door creaking open slowly was also not a good sign.

Shizune stared at the two clan heads, then gestured them both in with barely a glance. It didn't take a mind walker of Inoichi's ability to determine that Hiashi was furious with the treatment. Hopefully, they would both leave this meeting intact.

The room was empty when they entered, a fact that seemed to surprise Hiashi more than it should have, "Hokage-sama, where is Hinata?"

Looking up from sealing some documents, Tsunade glared at the man with surprising heat, "She has been sent on official business, Hiashi. Sit; we have much to talk about."

Gulping at her tone, the two men sat. The incident where Tsunade had nearly killed Jiraiya for peeking on her suddenly flashed before their eyes.

Settling in, Tsunade handed two of the papers on front of her to Hiashi, "For your information, Hiashi, these orders will be carried out. They are sealed, official, and not going away. Your clan has screwed up for the last time."

Reading over the orders, Hiashi fumed in rage, "What is the meaning of this?! These actions will undermine the safety of our clan and bloodline!"

Glaring the man into silence, Tsunade spoke with finality, "That was before Hyuga Shinji overstepped his bounds. Clan protections only remain when the techniques are applied to clan members, Hiashi. When Shinji decided he was above himself and sealed a civilian of the Leaf that left your entire sealing school open for perusal and attack to prevent repetition."

Going deathly quiet, Hiashi looked at his Hokage in an approximation of shock, "You are accusing Hyuga Shinji of applying the Caged Bird Seal to a Konoha civilian?"

Nodding firmly, Tsunade smirked at his look, "Even if Naruto is a ninja now, and the seal seemed to be a simpler variation than normal, the sealing happened years ago. A full account of the events has already been supplied by Shinji, and his punishment stands. I cannot allow the Hyuga elders to think that it is EVER acceptable to seal ordinary Konoha citizens; and even if this current punishment stops some attempts, now that it has been proven possible counter measures must be developed and used."

Seeing that Hiashi was working himself up to a righteous fury, Inoichi decided to step in before things got any worse, "Hokage-sama, while Hyuga-sama reviews what I am sure to be troubling news, I wish to inquire about the large withdrawal made from the Yamanaka accounts this morning? The bank was less than forthcoming."

Looking at her fellow blonde in disinterest, the Hokage replied ironically, "Actually, your here for the same reasons that Hiashi is. Two of your clan members also placed seals upon Uzumaki Naruto, and an acceptable fine was determined. The Yamanaka clan accounts were simply held liable due to the fact that one of the perpetrators passed in the action against Sound. The other is still in custody, so he probably doesn't realize the damage to his account yet."

Gaping, Inoichi worked to find his voice, "Hokage-sama! I might not particularly like the kid, but I wound never condone an attack like this. Surely we can come to some sort of arrangement?"

Shaking her head, Tsunade refused to give an inch, "I have seen too many of these 'arrangements' fall apart once the ink dries on the paper. Putting mentally crippling seals on a child under six is abuse in the worse form, not to mention enjoying said child being attacked for ten minutes as if it was a play. If you have issue with this, or the resulting penalties, then speak to Yamanaka Kenshin when he is released tomorrow into your care. Otherwise the matter is closed."

Noting the position of the sun, she decided that they had gotten all she was going to give them for the moment.

"Now, if you two gentlemen will excuse me, I have another appointment in the hospital."

Shaking in rage Hiashi glared at the woman with as much fire as possible, "This isn't over, Tsunade. When I talk with the Council of Advisors..."

The killing intent nearly caused the two men to pass out.

Standing up slowly, a sudden image of a hungry lioness entered Inoichi's mind as the Hokage glared at Hiashi with her full fury. He was lucky it didn't induce a brain aneurism.  
"If you wear the Leaf symbol, you are a soldier under my command. I don't care about clans, or privileges, or what you seem to think that two dried up old Jonin can grant you; the simple fact of the matter is that I am the commanding officer of Konoha. Now go slink back to your clans, let them know about this punishment, and understand this."

Reaching down, Tsunade casually snapped the edge of her new desk as if it was tissue paper.

"Cross me, and I can BREAK you. Now leave my sight."

The two Jonin, who had each faced armies, assassins and angry wives at one point or another; left with their tails between their legs.

----

Uzumaki Naruto was confused, irritated, and worried beyond all limits. Something very wrong had happened.

When the food had come up twenty minutes after Shizune-nee-chan had left, the lack of ramen didn't even register. He was STARVING, and felt like he could eat an elephant, or maybe the Kyubi, with enough hot sauce. However, at that point, he was shocked to discover he could barely hold his chopsticks. After three shouts from sticking himself in the eye with eating utensils, the purple-haired ANBU at the door sent in a shadow clone to help. Having a masked, but obviously attractive woman feeding him led to emotions and reactions that he really didn't know how to deal with.

The second assisted bathroom trip had really not helped matters.

Then, after being bored for HOURS, Sakura-chan had come to visit. She tried to stay upbeat, but Naruto had liked her for YEARS. he knew her emotions, thoughts, speech-patterns, and methods better than any person in konoha besides Ino. That knowledge had only improved as they became teammates and comrades. Every action seemed to scream distress and depression, so he tried to cheer her up as best as he could.

Then she hugged him; Haruno Sakura had NEVER initiated physical contact with him in a non-violent matter in their entire association together. Something big had to be up.

Then she explained; she couldn't tell him everything because of Baa-chan, but some changes were being made to the teams. She might not be able to see him for a while, but was planning on getting stronger before they met again. She couldn't tell him about Sasuke, but Baa-chan would latter, and she just wanted him to know one thing, "I don't think that I am all that impressive and loveable right now, Naruto, but I'm glad that if someone wanted to bother liking me, it was a good guy like you. Find someone better, please? You deserve it more, and I think I would rather be your friend. That's the least I can do."

Seeing the tears in her eyes, Naruto couldn't help but agree.

It hurt somewhat... he had loved Sakura for years... but not as badly as it could have. Instead of shouting, screaming, or hitting, she said that she wanted him to be happy, and to be his friend. Naruto really didn't have enough friends to turn that offer down, and besides, her reaction to Sasuke after Baa-chan healed him the first time was like a sledgehammer. This just finalized something that hadn't happened yet. It hurt...but it could have been worse.

Sakura left after that, saying she had to check on something before going home for the night.

Looking out at the setting sun, Naruto sighed. If he could walk without falling from the stupid bed, he would have escaped HOURS ago to find out what had freaked his teammate out so badly. What was taking Baa-chan so long?

Hearing the door open, Naruto was surprised to see Shikamaru walking in, "Hey Naruto, how's it going?"

Smiling at the company, Naruto greeted the lazy Chunin with enthusiasm, "Hey, Shika! How's everyone else doing?"

The conversation was light after that. Shikamaru was still reeling slightly from the insanity of completing his first mission successfully, and the attention of that crazy Suna Kunoichi. Naruto was still having trouble with his muscle control and concerns about Sakura and Sasuke. However, always the curious one, Shikamaru finally asked about the mission.

Leaning back, Naruto sighed, "It was awful, Shikamaru. Sasuke actually tired to kill me. Those attacks were not designed to wound, or knock me out; they were lethal strikes. How am I supposed to feel about that?"

Somewhat at a loss, Shikamaru was about to answer when the door opened again. Looking up, the smiling visage of the Fifth Hokage greeted them, with Shizune and Hinata both following quickly.

"Hey there Naruto; let's chat."

-----

Author's Notes

***Gasp*** phew, that was draining.

I don't know if I can maintain these chapter sizes, or this update speed, but we shall see how it goes, ne?

Ok, first of all, my sincere thanks to those who reviewed the last couple of chapters. My text editor was acting up, somewhat, so I am experimenting with slightly different formats until I get something workable. For those of you who asked, I currently use a notepad document to stream the chapter content, double check it in Microsoft Word, and then check it over again in the notepad before checking over the finished document in the ffnet document editor. Bulky, but it simplifies my view of the story if that makes any sense.

For those of you clamoring for additional people to go on the trip, sorry to say that isn't going to work. Everyone from the retrieval mission was badly injured, well besides Shikamaru, and won't be active for months. Sad fact is, even in cannon, each of them only restarted training after a lengthy hospital stay. They just aren't ready to join the soon to be leaving Hokage, so the challenge requirements will be upheld.

For those of you who think that Sakura is being OOC, well, she might be if she had time to think about things. The guilt is straight from cannon, as is the concern for Naruto; after all, he's the one she wished to see first after the mission. Now she might be less emotional if she could recover or reorient herself, but with all of the sudden attacks and clear explanations from unbiased sources, she just hasn't had time. In addition, instead of a bunch of cleanly wrapped injuries, THIS Sakura saw them straight from the fight, bleeding and missing body parts. That has got to be more traumatic, and the final confrontation with Sasuke will only cement these feelings of betrayal. Also, although she has been somewhat exposed to Naruto's life from their daily interaction, most civilians tone it down around the team out of fear of Kakashi. Hearing about that kind of abuse on top of what he already dealt with under her tender mercies probably made her feel all of two inches tall.

That being said if this story becomes harem (which is a BIG if)I don't plan on adding Sakura to the group. Now, don't get me wrong, this is a perfectly fine pairing for some people, and I have read match-ups where it works wonderfully (check out Shivakashi if you want a true master of the genre), but I cannot agree with it. Their personalities actually complement each other nicely, but they're too close to work together in such a relationship. Naruto and Sakura sibling or friendship I support whole-heartily, but dating or marriage? Not so much. That's not to say that Sakura won't be kicking herself in a few years once the weight of her follies hit her. I won't leave her in the cold; I'll just make her realize just how much she screwed up with a great guy.

As to pissing on the clan heads... Tsunade's angry, and it's going to be Jiraiya's problem. The entire Ino-Shika-Cho original team has been shown as initially wary of Naruto. They warm up over time and Naruto's developing friendships with their children, but they remained strictly neutral when he was growing up. Hiashi...well Hiashi just pissed her off. Besides, I have an idea to marginalize the Advisor's Council in the short term. Hiashi is going to find himself in a very uncomfortable position, especially when the right rumors start spreading...

Now, I'll be the first to admit this chapter was a little Sakura-centric, but she was the best secondary character to outline Team Seven's training problems. Kakashi is away and would lie regardless, Sasuke is a nutcase, and no one ever seems to believe Naruto when he complains about something in regards to his training. Also, I really do think that she has the potential to become an excellent medic-nin. In fact, if Kakashi was less interested in his perfect team balance, he probably should have pushed her into it earlier. If you take the basics of ninja balance into account, he clearly pigeonholes each into a specific sub-set without giving much in the ways of supplementary training; Naruto was his Taijutsu student, Sakura was the Genjutsu student, and Uchiha was the Ninjutsu user. therefore, Naruto uses the experiences of the shadow clone jutsu to build up natural fighting skills, Sasuke learns ninjutsu through his Sharingan of doom, and Sakura deals with any minor genjutsu issues that they cannot overcome with the strength of the Sharingan. Funny how he mistyped them so badly, ne?

Now finally, after three chapters, Naruto will discover Tsunade's plans and the issues he will be fighting for the next few months. Stay tuned!


	4. The Tactical Withdrawal

No I don't own Naruto. If I did, I'd be made for life con-hopping :)

Chapter Four: The Tactical Withdrawal

Jiraiya nearly growled at the paperwork in front of him. Damn it, he was never letting that woman sweet-talk him with cleavage again! No amount of flashing was worth this!

Getting talked into the position of (temporary) Rokudame was very irritating. The Toad Sage had put up with a hyperactive blonde for nearly a month in order to get out of this job.

Although, having him pull off a variation of the Rasengan within such a short amount of time WAS fairly impressive.  
Not that he would ever admit that; Naruto had enough of an ego as it was.

However, Tsunade refused to play fair; while his acceptance of Naruto as an apprentice would have gotten him independent and out of sight as well, Tsunade could do so much more. Granting him Chunin rank to insure some autonomy was an excellent tactic, and writing the whole thing off as a medical issue gave the busty blonde nearly undisputed control of the case. After all, Tsunade wasn't known as the world's best medical ninja for nothing. Plus, she would be able to more effectively figure out his weaknesses and the needed treatments if they were dealt with in isolation.

That didn't mean that things were going to be smooth sailing on the home front. Lacking the ability to issue A-rank and S-rank missions, Jiraiya would be unable to get more than sixty percent of the needed revenue for Konoha to be run effectively. In addition, freezing the Namikaze estate and Senju trust took care of most of the liquid assets in the village. That meant that the missions that Jiraiya would normally be able to assign on behalf of Konoha to maintain its infrastructure and give genin teams something to complain about, wouldn't happen.

A great ninja village couldn't survive on only C-rank and B-rank missions alone. Not to mention, the clans were going to be up in arms. The Hyuga were probably going to side with the Advisor's Council after the loss of Shinji, while the Yamanaka were going to be tangled up for a few days trying to figure out what to do with Kenshin. That would, in turn, cause the Nara and Akimichi clans to debate how to present themselves in relation to their long time allies. The Inuzuka would probably follow Tsume's lead, and the Aburame would stay neutral unless forced to act. That wasn't counting the divided loyalties various ninja groups would feel in relation to the Hokage and her choices. With this instability, spinning the opinions of the collective Konoha Ninja force would be nearly impossible. All this chaos over a threat to one little boy; it was amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Hopefully, the generated pressure and chaos would cause the Daimyo to remember to keep his nose out of Ninja business, and acknowledge the strength of the Hokage position. If he played with the power of his authority too much, using the Council and Danzou as proxies, it would destabilize the place to the point of civil war. Tsunade was right in trying to fix this mess, and removing herself from the equation and leaving her own proxy weakened the bargaining position of the other side significantly. Although, signing out THOSE scrolls as 'healer's aides' was pushing the farce a bit much.

Still, there were some things that he could do. Nothing was going to be accomplished tonight, because his authority was not to be activated until daybreak. However, since Asuma had been ordered to hang around until needed, it would be a shame not to try a little negotiation. Best to be as up front as soon as possible, before any of the opposition formed counter claims. Luckily, the Third's son was finally sober after his binge the night before and should be fine to travel.

Sighing, Jiraiya looked over his beloved village, lost in his thoughts.  
_Did she really have to take the hat with her? Wearing that was going to be one of the best parts of this job._

-----

Naruto looked around the room, long suppressed danger instincts blaring.  
He hadn't felt pressure like this since that time he painted the Hokage Monument.  
Shrugging it off as his imagination, the former prankster squinted at the Hokage in anger,  
"Hey Baa-chan, it's about time that you showed up! I've been going nuts trying to find out what's going on! What happened to Sasuke?! What's up with my body?! Why is Sakura so freaked out?!"

***wack***

Luckily the light slap on the head calmed him down, before real rant momentum could build up.  
Pulling up a chair, Tsunade gestured for the rest of her subordinates to relax. This conversation was probably going to take a while, "Now that I've got your attention, we've got a lot to talk about brat. First of all, you did great on that last mission; chances of success with the inclusion of the so-called 'Sound Four' were slim to none. But it still got done, and that's the important thing."

Shaking his head, Naruto glared, "Sound Five."

Blinking in confusion at the interruption, Tsunade glared at Naruto, "What was that brat?"

Staring defiantly right back, Naruto proudly stated, "Sound Five. That bone-guy was fighting me before Sasuke broke out of the barrel. If fuzzy-brows hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have been able to continue after that bastard. He was GOOD, Baa-chan; really good."

Taking note of that little bit of data, Tsunade wondered if the corpse had been dealt with yet. "Regardless, you managed to bring back Sasuke to Konoha. However, Naruto, this might hurt but you need to hear it. Sasuke is going to be punished very badly for his actions. Not only for hurting you but the fact that his defection led to others to be badly injured as well. That's probably what upset Sakura."

Gulping at the serious tone Naruto looked down at his bandaged hands in worry, "How badly is badly, Baa-chan?"

Letting out an explosive breath, Tsunade looked at the ceiling, not wanting to see the look in his eyes when it came crashing home, "Uchiha Sasuke is no longer a Ninja; his rank is removed and will never be restored, his chakra is sealed completely, and he will never be removed from prison. For the rest of his limited life span, Uchiha Sasuke will remain in ANBU custody, alone and in chains."

Gasping, Naruto leaned back in shock. This wasn't what he wanted to have happen! He had a vague idea of Ero-senin fixing that stupid seal, a few weeks of community service, and then the reformation of Team Seven. He didn't nearly fall apart (literally) in order to lose the closest thing that he had to a family!

However, at the moment, Uzumaki Naruto wasn't a complete moron.

Seeing his surrogate brother try to kill him had hurt Naruto badly, both physically and emotionally. Winning that fight at the Valley of the End was probably the high point of his ninja career at the moment. However, after fighting and wining in such a battle, could things really go back to the way they were? Would Sasuke really admit to Naruto's strength, or simply see him as a simple stepping stone to Itachi's death? Could they respect each other, or would they have to fight forever to see who was the strongest? These were questions that Naruto didn't know the answer to, and he wasn't sure if he wanted them.

At a total loss, Naruto looked at the others in the room for guidance. Baa-chan was refusing to meet his gaze; Shizune-nee-chan was smiling sadly, with Tonton managing a sorrowful look. Shikamaru was looking surprised, but was slowly relaxing; clearly he was examining the different paths available, and sorting the ideas for latter. Hinata-chan looked sad for him, but, also somehow vindicated? It was an odd look on her cute face...  
_Arg! I'm doing it again! Curse you Ero-senin; you're a freaking disease!_

Confused and hurting, Naruto was at a rare loss for words. Somehow, the silence was more telling than fanfare from the rooftops.

-----

It was cold.

That was Haruno Sakura's first impression of the ANBU prison.

To gain entry to this area without the normal clearance, Kurenai-sensei had blindfolded her and applied a complete sensory deprivation genjustu. The fifteen minutes that Sakura had spent trapped in her own mind were enough to cause massive amounts of pain and nausea.

The sight before them just made her want to throw up.

Uchiha Sasuke, beaten, broken and weak, was restrained to the point of paranoia. Each arm was bolted to the wall, his hands encased in unbending steel gloves. Sasuke's eyes had been covered, with his head fixed to the wall with leather straps. Each leg was encased in some sort of steel-lined concrete, spread eagled and sunk into the floor. Every square inch of the restraints and Sasuke's flesh was practically coated in black ink, reinforcing the chakra drain of Jiraiya's earlier work to extreme levels. The only other additions appeared to be a set of tubes attached to the groin area; items that Sakura REALLY didn't want to think about.

However, the sudden appearance of a yellow liquid robbed her of even that small mercy.

Hands covering her mouth in horror, it was all that the little cherry blossom could do not to run in and hug the prisoner. Only the strict warnings from Kurenai-sensei and her own confusion about Sasuke's recent behavior prevented Sakura from acting. That did not stop a minor gasp of "Sasuke-kun..." though.

Suddenly, Sakura was pinned by the blindfolded face of Uchiha Sasuke. "What are YOU doing here, Sakura?"

Feeling the pain and hate in the boy's voice, she could barely breathe.

"Have you come to torment me? Beg me for a last kiss? Plead for a date? Sorry SAKURA but that's not allowed; I'm going to be indisposed for a while."

Gathering her courage, Sakura tried to take control of the situation. Why was it that the person who was standing free couldn't seem to outmatch the chakra-less bound traitor? "Sasuke, why did you do it? Why did you leave us? Why did you hurt Naruto? Why did you have to hurt me..."

The tears were trying to escape again, but after two days she was mostly dry.

Sneering at her broken tone, the Uchiha lashed out with his only remaining weapon; his words. "Why? WHY? WHY the HELL would I leave, you ask? Why would I 'hurt' you and that stupid dead-last? Why would I leave for Orochimaru? TO GET STRONGER! TO KILL MY BROTHER! YOU AND NARUTO AND THIS ENTIRE DAMNED VILLAGE ARE ONLY GOING TO GET IN MY WAY!!! NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!!!"

Battered by the immense naked rage of her crush, Sakura struggled to stand, "But Sasuke! We could have helped you! We could have gotten stronger together! Naruto would have done anything for you! I would have done anything for you! I cared, and CARE, so much for you..."

Obviously biting his tongue, Sasuke coolly replied, "So why did you report me?"

Sakura's jaw clicked shut in shock.

Seeing an opening, Sasuke stuck as the trained ninja that he was, "Why did you report me? There were a dozen ways for you to cover for my escape before anything would have happened. I could have been in Sound before anyone actually knew I had left. If you really 'loved me', wouldn't you have let me go, respecting my wishes? So tell me SAKURA, WHY DID YOU TURN ME IN!"

Looking at the floor, feeling the guilt of all of Sasuke's pain, Sakura tried to answer, "Because Sasuke, Orochimaru was going to destroy you! He would take everything about you and warp it into something unrecognizable! You would have become his toy, his tool, his puppet! I couldn't let that happen!"

Grinding his teeth in impotent rage, Sasuke growled out, "And that would be better than this? No Chakra, no career, no training, no revenge, not even a glimpse of light; just a tube to pee in and a single meal a day all alone. Oh this is a major improvement!"

Losing control, Sakura was a little glad the boy she once cared for couldn't see her tears.  
Unfortunately, the sound of falling water seemed to tip him off. "Oh, so NOW you cry? How wonderfully compassionate, you bloody annoying bitch! You know? I almost wish that I HAD taken you up on that offer to join me now."

Sakura felt Kurenai tense behind her, but couldn't find the energy to care.

"Yeah, it would have been wonderful. I agree, you tag along, and one of the Sound Four kill you when we reach the meeting place. That way, I get to Sound in peace and you get a whole two minutes of happiness joining the 'love of your life'. I guess that they say hindsight is 20/20, but what the hell! I learned my lesson if I ever get out of here; kill the weak one quickly so they can't alert the useless herd. Remember that, you self absorbed whore; you don't love me, you just want to use me to feel better about your pathetic self."

Standing there in shock, Sakura felt the last of her resolve shatter; Sasuke was lost to her forever. Now what was she supposed to do!?

"I think that is quite enough."

Kurenai had never really cared that much about Haruno Sakura. She had decided on training Hinata YEARS ago, before the academy graduation had ever happened. Therefore, other than a quick glance at Sakura's data sheet and some observations during the Chunin Exam, it was safe to say she knew next to nothing about her. That didn't mean that she felt such abuse was deserved by anyone, let alone a twelve year old girl.

Hinata had moved on to bigger and better things, so fixing this mess was now HER responsibility.

"Listen here, Uchiha, and know this; you will remain here for the rest of your life. The Hokage is not budging, the Advisor Council has washed it's hands of you, and soon the populace will know that the Uchiha's breed traitors better than any other clan. At least Itachi was able to make his escape; you were handled by the weakest student in your graduating class. So deal with your failure, and reflect on your hate alone. Come Sakura, I think that this is as close to good bye as you are going to get."

Nodding weakly, the girl turned to follow her new sensei and new path. It hurt so badly, but Sakura had to get stronger on her own now. She couldn't only rely on others for happiness anymore. She was going to be all alone...

"What is the red chakra?"

The sudden question threw the two kunoichi off in shock.

"You said I was beaten by the dobe? You call me a traitor and a weakling? Then I'll tell you that anything that has two chakras is a bigger monster than I ever could be!"

Narrowing her eyes, Kurenai hit a seal matrix near the far end of the room.  
Lighting coursed across Sasuke's limp form, shocking him into painful slumber.

Turning to the surprised genin, Kurenai almost cursed at the confusion on Sakura's face. Having been in some questionable situations before, Kurenai was sure that, if Sakura was as smart as they said, she would puzzle this situation out for days. She couldn't be allowed to come up with theories about the Uchiha's last words. In her state, no one could predict what would happen! This had to be stopped before things got too out of hand.

"Sakura, I will not be able to answer any questions concerning his last comment, due to village security. However, we will meet tomorrow afternoon to see how you are doing and plan about you integration into Team Eight, ok?"

Nodding absently, Sakura was caught off guard when the security genjutsu was reapplied. Picking up the now silent girl, Kurenai sighed; she was going to have a hell of a day tomorrow.

Maybe the new Rokudame would have some ideas on how to handle this mess.

-----

Sighing at the forlorn look, Tsunade squared her shoulders. They were not out of the woods yet, "Unfortunately Naruto, you are still in some danger. Once they heard about the result of the mission, the Advisor's Council started putting pressure on me to have you banished."

Staring at her in shock, Naruto's shout almost beat Shikamaru's curse. Standing up, the lazy strategist was surprisingly eloquent, "Hokage-sama! I was the one who led the mission, so any issue from the results of that mission is my responsibility. Why is Naruto being punished for that?"

Nodding in thanks to his friend, Naruto threw his two cents in, "Yeah, Baa-chan! Why would those two old farts want to banish me over bringing back their 'precious Sasuke'? I didn't make any decisions as to what would happen to him!"

Looking at the two outraged boys, and the confused Hinata, Tsunade pondered. While she was all about breaking the rules when necessary, the law of the Sandaime was not generally one of them. However, given that Hinata was going to be traveling with them for some time, and Shikamaru was among the smartest tacticians of his generation, such a secret would not keep for long. Finding the answers 'underneath the underneath ' was among the first challenges taught to the average Konoha genin. Naruto was just particularly bad at that lesson.

Speaking of Naruto, there were his feelings on the matter to consider. As far as Tsunade knew, Naruto had never willingly given out the fact that he was a Jinchuriki out to anyone; well, besides possibly Gaara. As such, since this secret was so central to whom he was, releasing that information to others was a burden that he avoided like the plague. However, having some stable and dependable friends would be central to his survival in the near future. Sakura was still in shock and no one else from his generation was anywhere near level headed or close enough to him for releasing the secret to be a good idea.

Honestly, the fact that finding someone for him to give that information out to was so difficult was a little sad. But trust had to start somewhere, and it was better if releasing the secret was somewhat Naruto's decision.

Looking her fellow blonde in the eyes, Tsunade was a serious as she could manage, "Naruto, if you want that answer to be clear and simple, I need to share certain truths with these two. I would STRONGLY recommend that you allow the release of this information; because if my impressions are correct, they can handle the facts. Would you like me to explain, or do you want to give it a go?"

Shock had given in to fear and resignation; Naruto realized that he should have known those old jerks would use this as an excuse to remove the 'fox-boy'. Neither had ever liked him that much and injuring the last Uchiha was probably just the thing they needed to remove him.

Seeing the hurt and confused looks on his friends faces', Naruto sighed in defeat.

Hey, if was going to be banished, he might as well go out with a bang, ne?

"Are you sure, Baa-chan?"

Nodding firmly, Tsunade smiled in encouragement, "Don't worry Naruto, this won't get out to others unless we want it to. But Hinata is going to be involved in some close work with us over the next few months, and Shikamaru is smarter that he lets on. Even if you don't tell them, chances are they'll figure it out on their own anyways."

Looking down in defeat, Naruto sighed, "You tell them Baa-chan. I'm no good at this sort of thing."

Looking at Shikamaru and Hinata, Tsunade couldn't help but notice that they were EXTREMELY curious about all the secrecy surrounding Naruto. Troublemaker and fool he may be, but the kid was also their friend and this was very concerning.

Best to fill them in quickly then.

"What I am about to tell you cannot be spoken to anyone in your own generation. If this rule is broken, you will be killed with no exception or mercy. Do you understand?"

Seeing them each nod in the positive, Tsunade started her spiel.  
"Approximately thirteen years ago, when the Kyubi no Kitsune attacked..."

-----

Nara Shikamaru was a failure for most of his life. His scores in the academy were nearly as low as Naruto, he wouldn't train if he could help it to save his life, and his greatest failure was not getting out of the Chunin Exams when he had the chance; because now people actually expected things from him. In all honesty failing at his lifelong goal, of being an average ninja by the age of twelve felt like a very troublesome accomplishment.

However, failing to realize the truth of the situation concerning Naruto actually left a bad taste in his mouth.

Letting the soft voice of the Hokage wash over his awareness, Shikamaru made his infamous 'thinking pose' to concentrate on the facts before him, and compare them to those gathered from his own life experiences. After calculating about three hundred and forty seven steps and theories, he made a number of determinations.

1.) Naruto was not the Kyubi in human form.  
2.) Naruto had only found out about this issue recently, probably within the last year.  
3.) Naruto beat Gaara with some help from this power, thus scaring the bastard into sanity.  
4.) Naruto was the scapegoat of the elder generation because of this.  
5.) The elder generations took their frustrations out on the kid, thus his bad reputation.  
6.) His parents and their friends blamed Naruto for the Kyubi.  
7.) Because of 6, he and his generation had been programmed to some degree to hate Naruto.  
8.) The Council's decision was based more upon than simple hatred; they would have simply killed the blonde while he was weakened otherwise.  
9.) The Third was smoking weed if he thought that the parameters of such a limited law would protect Naruto that much.  
10.) If rejected by those he loved or trusted, Naruto WOULD become a monster worse than the Kyubi.  
11.) The Fifth had a plan, and it was going to be very troublesome for the village.  
12.) He really didn't care that much about 11 at the moment.

Hinata's thoughts were a little simpler.

1.) Naruto's a living sealing scroll?  
2.) Without Naruto-kun, the Kyubi would kill them all?  
3.) Konoha had hurt Naruto-kun!  
4.) She would help Naruto-kun.

Hey, not everyone was born a high level genius.

Reaching out nervously, Hinata touched Naruto's hand. Seeing his shocked and nervous expression, she couldn't help but smile. He had given her the courage to fight, it was the least she could do to return the favor.

Sensing no hate, malice or evil intent in that smile, Naruto began to relax.

"Naruto."

Looking over at Shikamaru, he was surprised by the serious look in the Chunin's eye.  
"Tell me how you learned about this, please. I think that I need to know."

Leaning back, Naruto looked at the boy in front of him. There was no hate or fear, but Shika was smarter than he looked. He was testing for something, looking for something; trying to find the piece of the puzzle that didn't fit. Apparently, he thought that broken piece was in Naruto's mind.

Shrugging, Naruto began to retell the story of how he became a ninja. The tale was a fairly good one, although the mention of beating the Third Hokage with his Sexy Jutsu caused a few raised eye brows to twitch, and everyone listened with great enthusiasm.

Nearly crying at the heartbreaking end, where the two lonely orphans bonded over the decimated form of Mizuki the traitor, Hinata gripped his hand tighter. Shikamaru just nodded, "Ok, well you're loyal and a friend. That's good enough for me."

Clearing her throat, Tsunade smirked, "Now that the drama is out of the way, we can continue. As much fun as this is, we ARE under a bit of a time constraint. Believe it or not, the council is not throwing the demon around as a reason, not directly anyways. They claim that, because the Uchiha is safely recaptured, Orochimaru will focus his attention at Konoha once again. At the same time, Akatsuki are mainly a threat because of their interest in you. Their brilliant idea is to exile you, thus drawing the Akatsuki attention away from Konoha at the moment, while we deal with Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke."

Holding up a hand to stop the flow of conversation, Hinata looked at Tsunade in concern," Excuse me, Hokage-sama, but who are the Akatsuki?"

Smiling at the initiative shown from the normally shy girl, Tsunade calmly explained. "They're a group of elite S-class missing-nin's from across the continent. Jiraiya found out about them because Orochimaru used to be a member. To give you an idea of their strength, Uchiha Itachi is one of their members, and our sources seem to indicate that he is not the strongest member of the group. For some reason, they seem to be unusually interested in the Bijuu, such as Kyubi or Shukaku, for what reason we do not know. That is what the council wants to send Naruto out to face, alone."

Frowning, Shikamaru returned to his thinking pose while Hinata simply looked horrified.

Giving them a moment, Tsunade was surprised by the Nara's sudden assertion, "They're stalling for time. The Council is worried about something and that something has to do with Naruto. Some member of Akatsuki has managed to make them worried enough that they're going to dangle Naruto like bait so that his attention is divided. For some reason, the Advisor's Council is worried about Uchiha Itachi."

Looking at the young genius in shock, Tsunade nearly whistled. This kid was going to go far if she had anything to say about it, "Very good Shikamaru; I have a theory about that, but cannot reveal it at this time. Out of curiosity, though, how did you come to that conclusion?"

Sighing heavily, the lazy genius looked around the room's occupants, "Troublesome; the way you emphasized Uchiha Itachi was the first clue. The number of effective Missing Ninja at that level from Konoha is extremely limited. A foreign ninja would not inspire any direct fear or animosity other than that which his reputation would generate. However, it is fairly clear that this move is motivated by personal fear. Itachi is theoretically the only other missing ninja besides Orochimaru that should inspire such feelings, and they're actually willing to put up with his infiltrations rather than face this Akatsuki. Therefore, the Advisor's Council is scared of him for some personal reason. Why is beyond me, besides the obvious."

Looking at the shocked ninja surrounding him, the young Chunin shrugged. It was fairly obvious when you thought about it a bit.

Nodding happily, Tsunade decided to drop his name in Jiraiya's lap while they were gone, "Needless to say, I would normally ignore those two to the best of my ability. However, they've got the Daimyo on their side, and that complicates things horribly."

Naruto cocked his head in confusion, "But Iruka-sensei always said that our line of command was separate from the Daimyo. How could that affect your orders, Baa-chan?"

This time, Hinata took over the explanation; politics were actually one of the few Heiress lessons that she enjoyed a bit, "Our orders might not come from the Daimyo, but a lot of our funding and support does. If he started sending jobs to other ninja villages, Konoha would loose one of its biggest sources of income. Our economy could mimic the situation in Suna within a couple of years if the Daimyo wanted it to. That's why he is such a horrible enemy to have in this situation."

Nodding at the explanation, Tsunade continued, "However, by treating the Advisor's Council as proxies, he is supporting an agenda that undermines the Hokage's position. After that became apparent, I decided to make some decisions to teach those meddling old idiots a lesson in respect. Because kid, if the reason I decided to come back to this village is removed, than I am so joining in the fun!"

Looking at her like she was nuts, Naruto blurted out, "How the hell are you going to manage that, Baa-chan?!"

Instead of a witty comeback, the woman looked like she had smelled something foul, "Unfortunately, the damage done to you had the fun side effect of outlining some long term problems. Mainly, the fact that several 'concerned citizens' decided to put limiting seals on you years ago. When we removed them, a bunch of power was released but it severely screwed with your various ninja skills. I simply wrote the whole thing off as a medical leave, giving myself and my apprentice's free reign to move around in isolation to insure the effectiveness of the treatment. I already determined the punishments, and withdrew the appropriate fines from the identified accounts. Jiraiya will be covering while we're gone."

Shocked into silence by the fact that he had MORE seals on him he didn't ask for, Naruto was left gaping like a fish. Shikamaru wasn't quite so passive, "Apprentices? I thought that Shizune was your only apprentice at the moment?"

Snapping, Tsunade ruffled Naruto's hair, "Almost forgot about that. Congratulations Naruto! You and Hinata are now the newest Chunin of Konoha and apprentices of yours truly."

Savoring the silence, Tsunade realized this was probably the last time Naruto was going to be so badly shocked for a while.

-----

Shikamaru had an unusually thoughtful look on his face when heading home that night.  
After some screaming, yelling, and various other expressions of surprise, Naruto was fully convinced that his promotion was real. Apparently, being a Chunin on medical leave had more rights than a Genin, especially those without families. Although Shikamaru KNEW that Hinata was mostly along to screw with the Hyuga elders, he wondered what Tsunade would do if those two actually started to develop feelings for each other?

So Troublesome.

Having been sworn to secrecy for the next day or so, and given special orders while the group was gone, Shikamaru was ready to head for bed for some well deserved shut eye.

However, it seemed that fate had decided he wasn't done yet.

"Oy, Shikamaru!"

Looking up, he rolled his eyes; his father and friends were back from drinking. Squinting, Shikamaru nodded at the trio and headed towards his room. Sleep was the only thing that he really wanted right now. Plus dealing with those three whining after hearing everything that had happened to Naruto was not on the agenda.

Sadly, Shikaku knew him too well for that kind of dodge to work.

Grabbing his troublesome son by the shirt, the original Ino-Shika-Cho combination dragged him into the parlor. Sitting Shikamaru down rather forcefully, Shikaku broke out the Shogi board while his friends settled in for the show. Shikaku only started a game like this when in a very bad mood.

Shikamaru was not in the mood for this. His father was normally a good opponent in Shogi; he hadn't managed a win anyways. However, whenever he got drunk and felt like crap, Shikaku would insist upon a match against his son. Mostly, it was a way to vent without killing someone, and Shikamaru was the only one who would put up with his anger when he was wasted. In return, Shikaku was usually willing to help deflect his wife from tormenting his son for a few days.

However, when the rest of the Ino-Shika-Cho group joined in, they usually were in need of entertainment. That only happened when they all felt horrible about something, and thought that a drunken Shogi game would be amusing. The last time this happened was after the Sandaime's funeral, so just walking away would not go over too well. Parents were so troublesome.

Looking at the board, the Chunin suddenly had an odd feeling; before his eye's each of his pieces seemed to take on the visage of one of the new Konoha Genin, while his father's took on the look of an older Ninja. Blinking, Shikamaru couldn't drive the image from his mind, so he didn't bother. It might have been a little disconcerting, but the image felt strangely appropriate for the moment. This game was going to be played out in real life, sooner or later, with the way things were going. He might as well prepare for the battle to come.

Moving a faceless village Chunin, Shikaku started to talk, slurring his words only slightly, "I wanted to congratulate you on your successful mission. You managed to complete the objective, and bring your friends home. It's a good start to your career."

Thinking, Shikamaru moved a pawn that looked a bit like Konohamaru, "Troublesome. I just hope that I am able to keep my friends from getting so badly hurt next time. If it wasn't for Tsunade-sama, I don't want to think of what would have happened to Chouji or Neji."

Noting the flinching Akimichi, Shikamaru almost felt badly about the dig; almost being the key word.

Taking a moment, the red-faced Nara shifted a knight that looked oddly like Kakashi-sensei, "Getting hurt is a part of the job. The important thing was that your leadership brought them the greatest chance of victory possible with the information available. Remember this in the future, and the missions will seem easier, even as the danger increases."

Letting out a small sigh of irritation, Shikamaru moved an angry Sakura to block the advancement. For some reason, the patterns he would normally rely upon were not coming. Hundreds of mathematical strategies formed around normal Shogi pieces. But he just couldn't manage to dehumanize his troops tonight. However, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel that his campaign was still equal. It was almost as if this was not a battle of pieces or tactics, but of will...

Although the elder Nara seemed to be immune to the tension in his son's shoulders, or the thoughts running through his head. This was simply a game of Shogi to help him focus a bit, after Inoichi was censured by the Hokage; an issue that none of them knew how to deal with yet.

Noticing the twitching that was controlling Inoichi's arm, Shikamaru raised an eye. The Yamanaka patriarch was normally better than that. Countering Inuzuka Tsume with a stoic Shino, Shikamaru glanced at the old family friend. "What's wrong, Yamanaka-san? You seem tense for some reason; is Ino giving you crap again or something?"

Flinching at the tone, Inoichi met the young man's eyes with some difficulty, "Just some clan business. One of our family members broke some important laws, and we have to decide on how to punish him. We've actually been debating the issue most of the evening."

Noting the reddened faces and alcohol fumes wafting in the breeze, Shikamaru translated that as: Got drunk off our asses trying to figure out how much this was going to hurt their image or honor.

Shifting a glaring Neji in front of Hiashi, Shikamaru suddenly got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. The timing was just too neat for the 'issue' to be a coincidence. But the question was, how to make sure of their guilt...

Looking over the trio, he decided some dirty pool was in order, "Hmmm, You know? I really wouldn't want to be the Uchiha right now."

Cracking his neck, Shikaku smirked at the flow of game play; Shikamaru must not be on the ball tonight. Idly moving a grinning Tsume to block the chip-munching Chouji, he returned easily, "Oh, and why would that be, hmmm?"

Smiling, Tsume was countered by an enraged Akamaru, "Well, the Hokage likes Naruto a lot, and out of everyone on the team he was injured the worst. I mean, they were talking of injuries that could take months to heal. For someone like Naruto, that has to be pretty severe."

The Ino-Shika-Cho team was legendary in their abilities and precision. The Yamanaka flair, the Nara brilliance, and the Akimichi strength were fearsome both on and off the battle field. Yet that one little statement shook them more than the Sound Invasion.

Seeing the doubt and fear on their faces, Shikamaru gave a smirk worthy of his favorite blonde. They had answered a number of questions that hadn't been asked, and helped to confirm a troublesome decision. Old people were such useful teachers. Shifting the last piece, a knight with oddly gravity defying hair, against a wrinkled old queen, he sighed, "I concede."

Standing, Shikamaru prepared for the future, confident in his chances for the first time in hours.

-----

As his son left without a word, Shikaku was forced to stare speechless at the board. The strategy was lacking, the methods were limited, and the defense was splintered; however, while Shikamaru's board screamed weakness, the chaos of the plays had put the seemingly weaker pieces in a perfect position to assassinate the stronger ones. Suddenly, as he sat there, reviewing the last few moves, the nature of their epic struggle became somewhat clearer to his buzzing mind.

This game had a purpose; one that he had missed in his state of inebriation.

Simply put, it said, _'I concede...for now.'_

As stated previously, Yamanaka Inoichi was not stupid. That included times where he was drunk.  
Turning white as a sheet, he looked over his oldest friends, changing history with two little words, "He knows."

The finality of that statement shook all three of them to their cores. Chouza looked down in shame, Inoichi blushed in embarrassment, and Shikaku stared at the game, willing it to change in some way. Nara Shikamaru had somehow discovered their involvement with making Naruto's life that much more unpleasant. It wasn't really guaranteed that he knew the ultimate secret, but one thing was clear.

He was taking Naruto's side over theirs.

Covering his face, Shikaku was surprised by the moisture there,  
"Children; they can be so...troublesome..."

-----

Authors Notes

NOOOO! Not the Angst! Anything but the Angst!

You know? A rather large number of people thanked me for my treatment of Sakura so far. They said that they were tired of a bratty Sakura or an evil Sakura. A nice Sakura who actually cared for Naruto was apparently a great change of pace. However, for those of you who questioned her good fortune and thought that she should be punished, this chapter is for you. She had to watch Sasuke pee into a tube; is that enough torture for the girl yet?

Again, I admit that a lot of her choices might seem OOC, unless you take the amount of shock and guilt she is feeling under consideration. Both of which reflect the cannon story quite closely in my opinion. Now, with this final confrontation bringing her numbness and agony, she has been firmly kicked from the Uchiha bandwagon and, while her butt is killing her, Sakura will make a reasonable recovery. But let's move on for the moment.

For those of you reviewed and PM'ed me, I thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart. When I started this project, I was worried that maybe five people would read the bloody thing. Now, according to the traffic tracker, THOUSANDS have at least looked at my humble attempt at Fan Fiction. I cannot thank you enough :)

Now, I have attempted to deal with all the major concerns brought to my attention, but I was somewhat overwhelmed by the last set of responses. So here are some of my favorite questions to answer.

Now then, YES; Naruto's condition is similar to what Tsunade did to Kabuto. That is actually where I got the main inspiration for the problem. HOWEVER, to be clear, Naruto will not be bouncing back quickly from this. It's going to take a couple of months of constant therapy to fix the issue. Unlike Tsunade's move, the seals effected the muscle groups and their relation to the brain; not just the nervous system itself. Besides, Naruto's control has NEVER matched Kabuto's enough to mimic the speed of his recovery in cannon.

Secondly, NO; Hinata is NOT currently in the Branch House, nor has Hiashi ordered her to be included there in the near future. Kaori is simply reading the signs; Hiashi has effectively disowned his daughter, refused her further training, and has placed her in a position of great danger. This COULD be argued as a method to strengthen the girl, or break her, but the general consensus among the household is that Hinata will be thrown into the Branch House once Hanabi has shown her superior worth as heir. In addition, NO ONE in the household knew about the Hokage's provisions concerning the Caged Bird Seal at the time of this conversation. So attitudes about the issue will soon be changing.

At the moment, I am only planning for a Hinata/Naruto match-up, and am leaning away from the Harem idea rather strongly. Although any other females that get thrown into the mix will be done so as friends at this time. I have a rough outline here, but this story will be action based. So as much fun as Anko-chan might be, don't hold your breath for anything stronger than sibling relationships.

Yes, I am not a fan of the cannon Kakashi; please respect that. No I don't know how I'm punishing him yet, so just stay tuned!

Oh, and in regards to one particularly focused reviewer listed as Anonymous; I have double checked the Manga, and think that you make some good points about compatibility. However, I think that my form is still close enough to match fairly well; although, it is close in places. Please PM me with any specific issues.

Thanks again to MegaB, whose input was very useful in directing elements of the stories flow. :)

On that happy note, this chapter is now concluded, so keep an eye out! The next one's going to be a bang!


	5. The Explosive Reaction

No, I don't own Naruto. If you believe that, I've got some plains in Kumo to sell you.

Chapter 5: The Explosive Reaction

Izumo and Kotetsu leaned back, watching the early morning traffic with ease. Honestly, gate guard duty was so relaxing that it was surprising that more people didn't request it. You check for a few henge's, look over passports, and direct customers towards the Hokage Tower; simplest C-rank in the village.

Plus, with the stories you could collect about the weirdoes hanging around, getting free drinks was sickeningly easy; especially when the events of the day became known to the general population. Looking up, the two ninja were shocked by the appearence of a departing group, containing their boss, the Fifth Hokage! They'd know that bust anywhere!

Eyes narrowing, Izumo moved to block the departing travelers. Something fishy was going on here. "Stop! State your business and intentions!"

Looking down her nose at the Chunin, the Blonde leader called a halt to the group. Hinata tried to look unassuming while Shizune shifted a sleeping Naruto in her arms. Each was clearly weighed down with backpacks bursting with sealing scrolls. All in all, they painted a very suspicious picture.

Gulping, Izumo refused to back down; if these ninja were impersonating the Hokage and her apprentice, and he let them leave unchallenged, it would be prison guard duty for the next three months! Those freaking Baka Brothers would either squash him or drive him insane within that kind of time span!

Trying to sound authoritative, the nervous Chunin plastered a smile on his face, "Papers and reason for leaving?"

Rolling her eyes, Tsunade gripped the Chunin by the neck, "I don't have time for this, Izumo. We are leaving for the Land of Waves for a period of extended medical treatment. Any delays could significantly hinder our efforts, so you might want to get out of the way."

Rushing to his friend's defense, Kotetsu tried to defuse the situation before he needed a new drinking buddy, "So sorry, Hokage-sama but we are simply doing our jobs. Any mission below S-rank has to be verified if the departure is made through the main gate. We're simply following safety protocols, so if you could provide the needed paperwork for authorization?"

Dropping the gasping Izumo, Tsunade sighed; she really couldn't get angry at two honest working ninja. That sort of dedication was commendable, but the sooner they left Konoha the better. However, if she wanted to make a statement before leaving, this was as good a place to start as any. Blinking at a sudden idea, the Hokage smirked, causing the two Chunin to shiver in fear. That sort of look was NEVER good when shown by a strong Kunoichi; Anko was proof enough of that.

Taking a single finger, Tsunade tapped the ground in front of the group with the slightest of pressure. The resulting ten foot deep crater was almost magical in its sudden appearance, and the shockwave was just plain impressive. Izumo and Kotetsu could attest to that, finding themselves knocked off their feet with the carefully directed force. Looking at the two shocked Ninja, Tsunade quirked an eye brow, "Do you still doubt my identity?"

Rapidly shaking their heads, the Izumo gulped while Kotetsu sweated; that could have been their heads, or worse!

"Are you going to continue to stop us?"

Stuttering out a negative, it took all of the two guard's willpower not to grab each other in fear.

Smiling lightly at the change of attitude, Tsunade nodded, gesturing for the rest of the group to follow her. Not making a sound, they were out of sight within minutes.

Wiping his face Izumo looked over at his oldest friend, as he tried to get his feet working again, "Kotetsu?"

Quirking his eyebrow, Kotetsu nodded, trying to get his shivering under control after getting vertical, "Yeah, Izumo?"

Collapsing behind the sentry post, the Chunin smirked, "I am SO calling the first round we get for this story."

That statement led to an argument for the remainder of the morning.

-----

Homura and Koharu walked down the path to the tower, heads held high and proud. They had protected the village of Konoha for so long that it felt like a part them, and today they would finally establish that claim. Once Tsunade was forced to banish Uzumaki, other key agendas could be brought forth for approval or disapproval. However, with the threat of Uzumaki's future constantly in the balance, advice would become dictation, and there was nothing that the blond bimbo could do about it. Soon, Konoha would grow stronger than at any point in history, and the threat of Uchiha Itachi would be a thing of the past.

Their pleasant daydreams were shattered by the cry of a messenger hawk. Looking at each other in worry, the Advisor's Council increased their speed to maximum. Tsunade was calling for a full muster of the Jonin, ANBU and Chunin commanders; that was usually only done in time of war! What could have possibly happened in the two days they had left her to stew in her issues?

Rushing to the Hokage's office, the advisors headed to the front, unmindful of the rapidly assembling Ninja forces filling the room, "Tsunade! What is the meaning of this!"

Sitting behind the desk and flanked by a stony-faced Jiraiya, Tsunade didn't even deem them important enough to look at, "Homura, Koharu; your questions will be answered in due time. Now wait with the others."

Ready to put this CHILD in her place, Koharu was restrained by the wary Homura, "Hold on, Koharu. Such a display would undermine our authority within the ninja ranks. Such discussions are best suited to a private forum."

Seeing the frowns from younger generation at their tone, the old woman held her peace. However, that did not mean she would forget this outrage. Treating the Advisor's Council like simple, average ninja; it was appalling!

Within about twenty minutes, all of the on-duty ninja of significant rank within the village were assembled. They would, in turn, provide information to their subordinates and key elements of the Konoha civilian population. The news provided here would soon spread among the entirety of village within hours. Smirking at the thought, Tsunade wondered how many heart attacks would be generated by her latest orders.

"Thank you for coming here. I wish to take this opportunity to share some recent decisions and declarations that will significantly impact Konoha in the months to come. Would you, Jonin Shiranui Genma, please come here?"

The recently healed ninja, senbon in his mouth, came to the front before his Hokage.

Taking a series of orders, she held them up for the Jonin to look at, "Can you verify that these are sealed, and are thus legal orders of the Hokage?"

Glancing at the papers, Genma felt the metal twig fall from his lips in shock. All he could do was nod weakly.

"Having reviewed these orders, and determined them as genuine, will you please present a summary of them to the assembled forces?"

Looking at the curious Ninja, the pissed off Councilors, and the widening smirk on the blonde leaders face, Genma suddenly wished he was back in the hospital.

Clearing his throat, Genma faced the horde as best as he could, "Well, you seem to have stripped the Uchiha of all of his power and position, withdrawn a large sum of money from the bank in retaliation to crimes committed, and taken two additional apprentices, after promoting them to Chunin on your authority."

This news caused a rapid number of questions to fly between the gathered forces. The decommissioning of the Uchiha was not well received; he had become their symbol for the future of the clan within Konoha. The loss of that support was very cruelly felt. However, fines significant enough to warrant a Hokage authorization must have resulted from crimes against the country itself; another thing to be concerned about, especially so soon after the invasion. The apprenticeship notice was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. At least Konoha would soon have two additional medical ninja's of Shizune's level to boast about.

Say, where was Shizune, anyways?

Nodding at the angry mutters, having expected such a response, Tsunade stood, "Uchiha Sasuke has been declared a traitor, having conspired with Sound Forces to defect. He was successful recaptured by a team led by Nara Shikamaru, aided by the head Genin of Suna, and personally subdued by Uzumaki Naruto. Over the course of the mission, the heirs of three clans, and two Jonin level ninja were placed in significant danger by his actions. He has been imprisoned, and will remain within a holding cell for the remainder of his life. What that means for the revival of the Sharingan will be discussed with the appropriate parties in due time."

That caused a stillness to envelop the ninja ranks; no matter what sort of authority the Uchiha clan might have welded, traitors could never be tolerated. The fact that Sasuke had attempted to work with SOUND, led by Orochimaru murderer of the Third Hokage, was unforgivable. It was regrettable, but the loss of the Uchiha clan appeared to be complete.

Nodding at the response Tsunade continued once order was restored, "Now, as to the issue of those fines. It has come to my attention that several elements within the Konoha Ninja forces intentionally acted to subdue and limit the talents of a prospective ninja during their tenure at the academy. Since the subject was still a civilian at the time of the attacks, this is a very serious issue, not even counting the mitigating circumstances surrounding him. Elements of the Yamanaka, Hyuga, Uchiha, and ANBU have been identified as illegally subjecting this child to a series of uncoordinated sealing's that nearly destroyed his chances of joining the ninja ranks. While there appear to be more as-of-yet unidentified assailants, these groups contributed the most severely to his injuries. With this discovery, each identified subject and clan has been appropriately fined and punished to reflect the severity of the crime."

THAT statement froze everyone in their tracks. Intimidation and abuse of the civilian population was very strongly frowned upon in Konoha. Each relied upon the other in order to survive, and as such, respected a boundary to insure that awe did not become forced intimidation. However, for an event to garner the notice of the Hokage's office, the victim must have been very highly placed within their society. Who in the village could possibly justify that kind of attention?

Buffing her nails a bit, Tsunade smirked, "I'm sure that Naruto will feel privileged by your concern for him."

That caused the room to explode again, as a vocal minority started bemoaning the fact that Naruto was awarded any sort of compensation for the crimes against him. Surprisingly, the majority of the Ninja's present kept their heads, with a smaller group looking outraged at the information. Recently, Uzumaki had been gaining some admiration and respect, especially after his surprising upset victory against Hyuga Neji, and the rumored victory against the Suna Jinchuuriki Gaara. Therefore, hearing about a fellow Ninja of the Leaf being abused in such a fashion set more people's teeth on edge than you might think. Homura and Koharu were shocked into silence; this might complicate their plans somewhat.

Tired of the bickering, Jiraiya stomped forward to regain control, "Enough! You will stop this NOW!"  
The following killing intent managed to capture everyone's attention.

Staring the gathered Ninja's of Konoha, he proceeded to rip the detractors into little pieces, "Do you have ANY idea how insulting you are being towards my old student! The Fourth was a master of seals unlike any before him; the cage of the Kyuubi is perfect as it is designed! There is no WAY that the fox can escape from its prison. But to be clear about the seriousness of these actions, let me ask you something. I know that some of you fancy yourselves as Sealers, so tell me WHAT would happen to a matrix that had several unplanned and unrelated seals subjected to its construction?"

The scattered, shocked stares were his only response. On average, that sort of question came up in such studies within about a month. The answer was ingrained upon the heart of any ninja who studied seals for more than a cheap way to make exploding tags.

Nodding, Jiraiya continued with the traditional response, "Adding random seals to an existing matrix can destabilize or even UNDO its construction! These self righteous idiots would have brought the Kyuubi down upon our HEADS if Minato wasn't a fantastic genius. Even if you don't like the kid, you have to admit the intentional damaging of a Jinchuuriki's seal is a serious offence. We are VERY lucky that the main seal held throughout all of this tampering. Having undone the illegal additions, I'm sure that you will all be happy to know that the seal is stronger than ever, and reinforced to a greater degree than I ever believed possible!"

Breathing out sighs of relief, the various students of sealing relaxed; their fears comforted. That sort of elementary mistake should never have been made, no matter how much hate the kid was the focus of; it was just plain unprofessional.

Noting that her old teammate had finally run out of steam, Tsunade retook control of the conversation, "Yes, Thank you Jiraiya. Unfortunately, due to the nature of these crimes and injuries, Naruto will need extensive rehabilitation in isolation to facilitate his recovery. Oh, on that note, Genma if you would be so kind as to verify this last order?"

Looking at the piece of paper as if it were a python, he glanced over the document; then, believing that his eyes must be going, he reviewed it again. Looking at the Hokage in horror, Genma couldn't even mumble more than a small affirmative.

Enjoying the gob smacked expression, Tsunade stood to finalize her address, "Well then, I guess it is official. During the next few months, myself and my three apprentices will be moving into seclusion to check upon and redevelop the mental, physical and spiritual well being of CHUNIN Uzumaki Naruto. Upon my authority, Jiraiya will be temporary Rokudaime with limited personal power for six months. If the treatment takes longer, he will assume the position with all of the attached privileges and powers therein."

Shouts of outrage and shock filled the office, headed by the furious Advisor's Council. That little twit had significantly damaged all of their goals! She could not get away with this! Pushing his glasses back in irritation, Homura growled, "You do not have the right to do this, Tsunade! We gave you the options available, and you violated those terms! Uzumaki Naruto will be removed PERMANETLY for this!"

Noting the shock and irritation of various factions, Tsunade stuck her tongue out at the two old bats. "I am the Hokage, and you two are simply Jonin, thus under my command. You can threaten, bluster, advise and demand all you bloody want, but no one determines what happens to the ninja under my command besides me! Jiraiya is my proxy, while I go to fix the massive issues you have generated for a hero of this village, as declared by the Fourth Hokage!"

Huffing in anger, Koharu snapped, "No one child is worth this much attention, especially a clan-less cretin like Uzumaki. While I agree some punishment is merited, this sort of misappropriation of resources is dangerously close to abuse of power! The strongest ninja of the village are here before you. Do you honestly think that you can stop them all from subduing you before leaving with that THING?!"

Noting the faces of those few willing to follow that illegal action, Tsunade nodded to Jiraiya; dealing with those factions would be his responsibility while she was gone.

"First of all Koharu, you just admitted to a level of treason right there. Not only are you contradicting the Hokage, but you are seeking to injure and assassinate a ninja under my command without jurisdiction. Even if you could keep me here, you would try to order my troops against me? Remember your place! As to preventing me from leaving..."

Smirking at the disgruntled expression, Tsunade brought her hands to form a seal.  
"What makes you think that I am still here?"

With a poof of smoke Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage disappeared from Konoha for a very long time.

-----

Tsunade grinned as the memories of the dispersed Shadow Clone returned to her. The look on the faces of Homura and Koharu were priceless!

Running through the trees, Tsunade led her apprentices down a familiar path; one taken by several proud and loyal Genin of the leaf scant days before. Tsunade normally would be heading towards their first stop in the rehabilitation, but Naruto's comment from the night before had caught her attention. Reviewing the fight with an enthusiastic Lee, and later Gaara, she had come to the conclusion that Orochimaru somehow brainwashed the last Kaguya of Mist. Since the medics and Kakashi hadn't mentioned a single thing about this 'bone-guy' on their way back, there was a fairly good shot that he was still out there to be collected.

Coming out into a clearing, Tsunade whistled at the sight; that was a lot of very big bones!

It was like a combination of forest and gapping maw; dozens of white spears spread out across the plains, angrily attacking the sky. However, that really wasn't what she was interested in.

"Holy...what the heck happened to him!? He looks like a dinosaur!"

Smiling at the sight of a slightly worn-out corpse, Tsunade grabbed a scroll, "Well Naruto, it looks like he had a second stage Cursed Seal form like you said Sasuke developed. The fact that he is still in this state is actually very useful to us."

Turning from the sight, Hinata tried to remain strong; this was one of the first times that she had seen a dead enemy up close and personal. However, if she was going to help Naruto deal with enemies such as S-class missing ninja, such things would probably become more common than she liked.

Shizune placed Naruto on the ground, handing him Tonton for the moment. Stretching after the invigorating run, she headed over to help her mistress, "So, what do you think he can tell us?"

Winding up, Tsunade punched the base of the bone pillar, "The fact that he remained in cursed form after death is interesting; all of the other retrieved corpses reverted to normal after passing. Something about his released kekkei genkai appears to have frozen him in this state, which will make studying the Curse Seal and Kaguya abilities more effective."

Turning green at the scientific talk for slicing someone up and playing with his innards, Naruto gave Tonton a particularly hard pat, "Is that really necessary, Baa-chan? I mean, he's dead; he can't hurt anyone anymore, right?"

Sighing at her new apprentice's naivety, Tsunade prepared a sealing scroll to preserve the body until they could set up base somewhere, "Actually, given Orochimaru's love of the bloody Curse Seal, studying him could lead to hurting the snake if nothing else. Don't worry about it Naruto, you two won't have to help with this sort of thing yet."

Gulping, Hinata looked at her new master, "Y..Y..Yet, Tsunade-sama?"

Shizune hummed as she traced preservation seals all over the corpse, "As distasteful as it might seem, Hinata-chan, studying dead enemy ninja is often done by medic-nin to learn anatomy and uncover secret techniques left in the body. It's one of the reasons that hunter-nin are so important; if an enemy managed to learn Konoha secrets from our dead or missing-nins, we'd have to develop new and complicated defenses against our own methods. However, all the Hidden Villages do it to some degree, the Sharingan just made us a little lazy. Kumo is actually among the strongest in the field..."

Trailing off at the sudden dark vibe, Shizune winced at the gloom surrounding her two junior apprentices; she obviously needed to choose her words with more care with these two.

Finishing the sealing of not only the body, but several samples of bone, Tsunade frowned at the atmosphere, "That's enough of that, now! We have to make tracks if we're going to make it to our first stop within the next three days."

Shaking off the depression, both Chunin nodded firmly. Now was not the time to worry about such things. They had a goal, and a responsibility; moping could wait until later.

Pausing, Tsunade sighed, "Oh, and before I forget, I need you hiates. The fewer people who notice the symbol of the leaf, the longer our cover will last, ne?"

Blinking, Hinata handed over her badge with minimal complaint. Naruto, on the other hand, looked like someone had kicked his puppy, hard. "You'd better hold on to that, Baa-chan. Iruka-sensei gave it to me, and I earned it with blood and tears!"

Smiling at the gusto that had been lacking recently from the blonde, Tsunade carefully sealed the important symbol in front of the fretting Naruto, "There, all done. Let's head out then; we still have a lot of ground to cover."

Taking her turn in carrying Naruto, and ignoring the resulting blush he sported at the action, Tsunade hopped through the trees, each apprentice following easily at their current pace.

_I wonder what Jiraiya is doing to those idiots now?_

----

Upon the dispersal of smoke, the Advisors Council was quick to act.

Turning to the ANBU captains, Homura barked, "Start tracing the paths of departure, starting from Uzumaki's hospital room! She couldn't have gotten too far without anyone noticing!"

Glaring at the assembled Jonin, Koharu gritted out, "Start interviewing the other rookie Genin teams. Perhaps we can determine if Uzumaki leaked out information through conversations or odd comments. We MUST stop Tsunade before she brings shame down upon Konoha!"

Noting the tensing of muscles, both began preparing mentally for the needed damage control...

"Summoning Jutsu!"

...only to be wrapped in giant toad tongues!?!

Sitting behind the desk of the Hokage, Jiraiya released a fraction of his killing intent. Everyone pretty much stopped breathing at that point.

Cracking his knuckles for emphasis, Jiraiya frowned, "I believe that you are going to disregard those orders. They are, after all, without authorization."

Shrugging off the oppressive feeling of doom, Koharu felt like screaming. It was only the years of experience and focus that kept her response somewhat civil, "Jiraiya! What the HELL do you think you are doing!? We cannot allow Tsunade to abandon Konoha in its hour of need! Release us at once!" Well, more or less civil, all things considered.

Leaning back in the nice, comfy chair, the Toad Sage quirked an eyebrow, "Abandoned? So evaluating the physical, mental and spiritual damage that a secondary, faulty seal array accomplished when applied to Konoha's Jinchuuriki is somehow abandoning her role in Konoha? To protect her ninja from all enemies, including internal ones? I think that you need a check up when she gets back."

Bristling at the dig being made about them, it was all the two elders could do not to try to kill Jiraiya right then and there.

Slamming a fist down upon the desk for emphasis, Jiraiya addressed the crowd, mindful that most hadn't moved since his demonstration of power. "Listen up, maggots! Tsunade has left me as her proxy, so my word is currently her word! As authenticated by a Jonin of good standing within Konoha, her orders stand! ANBU and Chunin commanders are hereby ordered to disseminate the necessary facts to the various factions within Konoha! Jonin with Genin and junior Chunin are to provide the necessary details to their subordinates! Any remaining ninja who is also a head of their respective clan is to remain, the rest are dismissed!"

The vast majority of the ninja forces couldn't leave fast enough.

Nodding to the remaining Jonin and special Jonin who helped to lead the major ninja clans, Jiraiya stood resolute...before dispersing his toads to release the elders from five feet in the air. No problem for an active ninja...

Repositioning themselves as quickly as possible, Homura and Koharu tried to forget the sensation of falling on their backsides.

...for a geriatric couple of retirees? Not so much.

"Now for those of you who remain, one of the last decrees that Tsunade issued needs to be addressed."

Grunting, Tsume cocked her head, "What the HELL could match the rest of those freaking orders?"

Shibi patted his old friend on the shoulder, "Relax Tsume. Jiraiya is not so foolish as to aggravate the clan heads further. Although, I think that a discussion with Tsunade is in order upon her return."

Clearing his throat, Jiraiya hoped the shock would buy him some more time. He was just lucky that Tsunade's idea was such an attractive bone, "It actually has to do with the Uchiha Clan kekkei genkai."

That brought everyone's focus directly upon his head.

Snorting in irritation, Hiashi stared Jiraiya down coolly, "What are you speaking of? The last Uchiha has already been imprisoned for life. A resurrection of the Sharingan is impossible now."

Shaking his head, Jiraiya sighed, "Before leaving, Tsunade recognized the necessity of the Sharingan for our future forces. Therefore, she has authorized the extraction of genetic samples for a set number of pregnancies."

This news was almost as shocking as Tsunade leaving in the first place. Ordering the forced dissemination of genetic material from a kekkei genkai was nearly taboo within Konoha. In a village that honored such clans so religiously, such an order was the equivalent of raping a corpse. To insure the sanctity of their various abilities, Ninja bodies with kekkei genkai were always burned within hours of their recovery or death before entombment. This was actually one of the major reasons that a dozen Kakashi's hadn't sprung up after the Uchiha Massacre, despite what some had suggested.

Seeing the looks of shock turning to outrage, the old pervert smirked, "Uchiha Sasuke was responsible for the continuation of his kekkei genkai, but through his own acts has become unsuitable for the job. Since the Sharingan was one of the major reasons that the kid got whatever he wanted for the last few years, some compensation seems to be in order. The Ninja Clans are ordered to evaluate any possible candidates within their households for impregnation after compatibility issues are examined. Since we are looking to recoup our losses within the next few years, let's start with subjects around seventeen to twenty-four. In addition, every single, fertile and unattached Kunoichi of the appropriate age group will be evaluated as backups in case insufficient numbers can be drawn from the clans."

Turning to the sputtering elders, he continued with barely a pause, "Your job is to find a selection of civilian candidates who are well placed enough to raise the kids in an appropriate fashion. We need a plan in place in case the Uchiha bloodline is recessive, and is thus dominated by the stronger traits of another established ninja clan. Oh, and if it is unclear to anyone, this is all being done with a test tube. That kid is getting no sex, or any form of visitation for the rest of his life. Tsunade was fairly strict about that."

Restraining her outrage at the horrific treatment, Koharu snarled, "This isn't over Jiraiya! We'll find those candidates, but mark my words; there will be consequences for these actions! When certain parties hear about this, you will beg for mercy!"

Smile turning grim, Jiraiya looked her straight in the eye, "You'd better believe it you old geezer! In fact, I have already planned to deal with his concerns as we speak."

-----

Sarutobi Asuma had seen and done many things within his life; but the times in the capital were among his brightest memories. While there, he had escaped the intricate power plays of his youth and felt like he was actually accomplishing something concrete. He would protect the Fire Daimyo and insure the peace of the Fire Country, as a member of the Twelve Elite Guardians. It seemed so simple back then, and that innocence was one of the recollections that kept him sane. However, he did not rise to Jonin rank with just his good looks; connections were everything at the higher levels of politics and Jiraiya was smart enough to capitalize upon that.

Thus, it was after a mere two hour waiting period that Asuma was shown into the Daimyo's personal reception area to present Tsunade's final orders. Kneeling a mere five tatami-lengths from the raised dais (a sign of personal trust and honor), Asuma watched the face of his old commander. Although his lined face gave nothing away the Daimyo's eyes betrayed irritation, a sign or great anger for one such as him.

"I am not pleased with this turn of events, Asuma-kun."

Keeping his eyes lowered, the Jonin had to fight the urge to scratch his head in embarrassment, "I apologize, Daimyo-sama, but Tsunade-sama is strong in her convictions. She saw the insinuations of the Advisor's Council as a threat to her power and acted accordingly."

Glancing over the reports, justifications and arguments attached to the copies of Tsunade's Decree's, it was all the aged statesman could do not to snort in irritation. These excuses were cover for her real agenda; a temper tantrum because someone had given her advice she did not like. "As admirable as I find her compassion, such actions on the behalf of one Konoha Genin, no matter what his circumstances, does appear excessive. Although, I have to admit that the secondary seals concern me somewhat. That sort of abuse can lead to copy cats if not carefully monitored or contained."

Thinking quickly, Asuma jumped upon this slight opening. What he was about to do was outside his primary orders, but somehow, he didn't think that Jiraiya would mind that much. "While I assure you that Konoha is in capable hands with Jiraiya as proxy, the situation was aggravated because key elements within the Konoha hierarchy were granted extraordinary powers above their station. If that endorsement was limited or removed, I am sure that the situation could be brought under control in an expedited fashion."

This was a direct challenge, one that the Daimyo couldn't miss; by removing his protection from the Advisors Council and Danzou, and the situation could be fixed easily.

Smilling lightly at the simple yet effective tactic, the leader of the Fire Country couldn't help but sigh, "While I lack the authority to directly alter or impede orders made by the Hokage within the Konoha military structure, I believe that those endorsements should remain in place for the moment. There is much more that you have yet to learn, Asuma-kun."

Standing, the Daimyo turned towards the wall, where a picture of the elemental countries was placed. Staring at the borders that could shift daily, and alliances that had often changed hourly in the past, the Daimyo spoke as the old man he felt like, "I am in a somewhat difficult situation here, Asuma-kun. While I admired the fire and brilliance of your father, elements of the government have called his competence into question. Given that the recent action of Sound and Suna was driven by Orochimaru, one of the infamous Sannin and students of the Sandaime, there is much apathy towards the other holders of the title. I do not believe that Tsunade or Jiraiya have as many friends in high places as they might think."

Fighting to keep the frustration out of his voice, Asuma tried to reason with the leader, "But Daimyo-sama! They are the strongest of our village; with their help Konoha will grow and prosper!"

Smiling lightly, the Daimyo turned to face his old subordinate once again, "How, may I ask, is drinking across the country and writing pornography a way of strengthening the village?"

An uncomfortable stretched between the two for minutes after that declaration. The smoking Jonin could not find an answer for that.

Breaking the stalemate, the Daimyo tried to reason with his old friend; the sooner someone in power realized this, the better off everyone would be in the end, "The Hokage must be strong in both reputation and will power. However, the position is mostly a young man's sport. The Sandaime was negligent in his failure to appoint a successor, and that has led to the current problem. Tsunade is acceptable as a holder of the title; however many do not trust her with the power of the position."

Reseating himself, the Daimyo smirked, "Thus a compromise has been reached that everyone can agree to. By leaving those elements with my support in place to balance the Hokage influence for the current generation, to insure Konoha's survival until the next generation takes root. Admittedly, their agenda against the poor boy is somewhat disturbing, but as you well know, sacrifices must sometimes be made."

Stiffening at the knowledge revealed to him that fateful night two days ago, Asuma had to fight the urge to yell in anger. He might not have treated the kid badly or anything, but the insult against the Fourth's only son now stung badly. However, such knowledge shouldn't be brandied about with reckless abandon; everything had its time and place, "Daimyo-sama, I beg you to reconsider; attacking Uzumaki Naruto will not gain the country anything. He is but an innocent child who acts as our protector from great evil and wrath."

Staring at the young man who he trusted with his life, the leader of the country shook his head sadly, "Yet to protect the millions of innocents from the threat of Akatsuki and Orochimaru, the loss of one is an unpleasant yet necessary reality. I am sorry Asuma-kun, but Jiraiya will be dealing with the elders for some time. Until a strong and capable Hokage comes to power, his influence must be checked. Otherwise, I will be dealing with anarchy within the month. Please give my regards to your leader."

Bowing low, the young Jonin cringed on the inside; he was never going to hear the end of this when he got back.

-----

Authors Note

...and CUT!!!

I just want to say how shocked and awed I am at the response this story has gained. Approximately two weeks have passed since I started posting, and already over a hundred users have added me to their Favorite Stories listing. On top of that, nearly two hundred have marked me in their various alert services. I am thankful for your interest, and hope that I only continue to live up to your expectations. On top of that, I have been greatly honored with attention from authors that I myself have personally followed for many years. I will not release any names, but I cannot convey the depths of my honor and self satisfaction at this sort of recognition. :)

That being said, I am sure that elements of this chapter might anger some of my audience. I have been receiving compliment after compliment about how straight forward and powerful Tsunade was acting. She has shouted down clan heads, stripped the wealth of villains, and has taken a significantly proactive stance when dealing with any enemies. Then, she leaves a Shadow Clone and bolts before anyone can realize it. Some might call this a weak, OOC deviation from the path the story has taken. Well, I hate to tell you this, but such an action is QUITE in character for the current Tsunade.

As of this moment, she has only been Hokage officially for a few weeks at the most. Her bonds with the village are minor, and she has spent YEARS loosing fortunes and skipping town. The entire method of escape is simply a more effective version of her gambling habits. Don't worry, she still kicks ass, and the majority of the Konoha forces will not act against Jiraiya. It's the vocal minority that they have to watch out for now, especially ROOT. The elders are LIVID, and her, and now Jiraiya's, constant disregard for their authority makes them dangerous opponents. Luckily, Jiraiya has something planned, and I think that you are going to like it. I know I will :)

Now while I COULD simply have her strut out of the village, hauling a giant sack of treasure and leading the pack on chariots; where's the fun in that? I can't make it TOO easy, or there won't be anything to read but simple fluff and crack adventures. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to read a story like that on a regular basis. So the Advisor's Council and Daimyo are going to be the source of Naruto's major issues in the village for the moment. Danzou... well, as I have shown, I do not like the Uchiha. Comparatively, I HATE Danzou, so expect a slightly messy end.

The Uchiha Bloodline decree originally was just a decision to maintain that element of the Konoha's military power. Tsunade mainly saw it as payback for Naruto's injuries and a way of placating the civilian population. Jiraiya, on the other hand, saw the potential as a political road block, and used it accordingly. Now, several of the clans and normal ninja forces will be examined for compatibility as the next set of Uchiha baby-makers, to insure the stable reestablishment of the clan as a pro-Konoha force. This distracts them, and buys some time before they try to exert any pressure to retrieve the missing Hokage. However, with the age requirements and physical limitations of the existing Genin, do not expect ANY of the Rookie Eleven to be nominated. They need the Sharingan NOW, and cannot wait for his classmates to grow up. Although, a couple of the Anime only girls might make an appearance, so watch out :)

Speaking of which, to the reviewer who thought that giving Sasuke a set of waste disposal tubes was being too generous, I just have this too say. If he constantly soiled himself, it would damage the retraining seals; so there.

Now, while I am thankful for the positive support, I have been given a suggestion that I find intriguing. After careful consideration, I have decided to look for a couple of beta-readers, if anyone might be interested or have the time. While this might slow down the update speed a bit, I have reached a wall as to what can be accomplished by only my own abilities. As I state in my profile, this is NOT my first fiction, but it is the first in a while. So I am still out of practice. Anyone who is interested, PM me, and I will review your work for comparison. If I think you would mesh well with my style and ideas, I will ask you for help. Remember, with this aid, I might be able to bring this story to much greater heights! :)

Thank you again for reading, and don't worry about the next chapter being boring. For now, between angry mutters, training will begin!  
Err...Sort of...


	6. The Awkward Method to my Madness

No I don't own Naruto. But if you see the guy who does, smack him for me please?

Chapter 6: The Awkward Method to my Madness

They had been traveling for hours, and as the sun began its decent Hinata was feeling winded. Being Inuzuka Kiba's teammate, she was used to constant and hyper activity. But Team Eight had never traveled for more than three hours without a break, and Tsunade had been pushing them full-throttle for nearly five. Even with most of their camping supplies sealed by Jiraiya, the constant use of Chakra and physical exertion was wearing her down. While no one else seemed tired (although since Naruto was being carried, he didn't really count), and she hated being seen as weak; if Hinata didn't get a chance to rest soon, she'd fall right from the trees.

Clearing her throat, the shy kunoichi was about to ask when they would be stopping, when Tsunade and Shizune seemed to stumble mid step. Since this occurred while they were leaping through the branches, it was almost a disaster. The young brunette was able to catch herself and Tonton at the last minute, holding her head in pain. Tsunade, however, grabbed a branch on her way to the forest floor, incidentally squeezing Naruto in a rather uncomfortable position; one that Jiraiya would have given his fortune for to trade places with the hyperactive blonde. Coming to a stop, Hinata felt mortified, "I..I..I'm sorry! I d..d..didn't mean to distract you! Is everybody alright?"

Dropping to the ground, Tsunade carefully dislodged Naruto's skull, noting the dazed expression in concern. "Don't worry about it Hinata. We just got a little backlash from that jutsu from earlier and it caught us off guard. It's about time to rest for the night anyways."

Reaching into her medical pack for some aspirin, Shizune smiled, "If you could find come firewood, Hinata-chan, we can get started on setting up camp. We've made good time, and probably should confer a bit before continuing."

Nodding, Hinata quickly activated her doujutsu and prepared to track the needed dry twigs and sticks. The only person better than her at finding fire-starting materials on Team Eight was Shino, and that was because he could talk to termites.

Reassured that Naruto was alright, Tsunade left him to confer with Shizune; she had another evil plan to concoct. Although carrying the kid like a sack of rice wasn't so bad yet, they had a lot of parties who were interested in the boy. Not to mention, it was clear that his invalid status was wearing Naruto down badly. There had hardly been a peep or whisper from him during the entire trip. Naruto was used to leading and doing, so relying on others this much must have been excruciating. Therefore, the sooner that Naruto could be made independently mobile the better for everyone involved.

A normal patient with comparable trauma would take months to recover. However, Naruto did not have months, and they couldn't watch over him twenty four seven. So, she would have to rely upon his absurd regenerative abilities, insane natural muscle memory, and sheer inhuman stubbornness to accelerate the process. It might be a little degrading, but all in all, who was around to complain? Besides, the look on his face would be priceless!

Looking at the determined Hinata, Tsunade made a point to remember to have Shizune work with the girl on chakra control and dodging exercises. Starting slow was always the best when dealing with nervous students. Why, her first apprentice had been so scared by the 'Great and Powerful Tsunade-sama' when she started training, that fainting spells were not uncommon. Those two would work well together to get Hinata up to speed while she treated Naruto. Plus, if the girl's scores were any indication, she would make a good tutor; probably the best place for her until all of that stuttering and blushing died down a bit. Young puppy love was so cute!

Tapping the ground to make a fire pit, Tsunade began to mentally review the supplies in their packs, as well as the training methods to be used over the next few months. If Naruto was going to survive, she would do her damn best to make sure that was possible. The training scrolls from the Hokage Vault would accomplish most of that, but he would need some guidance in order to shine. Hinata was honestly a nice surprise, and if she showed some backbone the little Hyuga would become quite the kunoichi. A little confidence, some ninjustu variety, and herbal lore and she would go far. How far was up to her, but that was a bridge to cross when they got to it.

Blinking, she turned around; with all of the preperations to make, Tsunade had almost forgotten! "Oh by the way Naruto, Tanzuna says hi!"

-----

"That spectacle was OUTRAGEOUS!"

Homura and Danzou were quiet as Koharu vented in their secret conference room, deep within the bowels of Konoha. This area had been carefully constructed with the ROOT in mind, and most of the ninja population was unaware of its existence. Access was through invitation only, and with their recently solidified alliance, the Advisor's Council had gladly joined Danzou here to plot. It was secure from Jiraiya's agents, and there were no young impressionable Ninja ranks to maintain their facade for. Everyone here had known one another for too long for that.

Shaking in rage, the ancient (by ninja standards) kunoichi continued to fume, "I cannot believe the level of arrogance that little brat has shown; abandoning Konoha using legal loopholes when the village is in such desperate need of her protection. Then, she left JIRAIYA in charge! With no warning or notice she leaves to go traipsing off to god knows where!"

Rubbing his eyes in irritation, Homura shook his head in agreement, "While I can admire her tactics and drive, this is a disaster waiting to happen. When word gets out that the Hokage is running around without any guards or backup, Iwa will begin a manhunt of epic proportions. When it becomes known that an unsealed Hyuga is wandering around the elemental nations with such a meager support network, Kumo will start sending hordes of missing-nin's to retrieve the Byakugan. Who knows what the factions in Kiri will do once they see that much potential out there ripe for the taking. Tsunade must be returned before a major confrontation occurs!"

Humming slightly, Danzou couldn't help but allow a grin to form, "However, despite this set back, we have gained more than it appears."

Turning towards the old cripple, their disbelief was tangible, "WHAT are you talking about, Danzou?! What have we gained from this disaster, besides humiliation and an increased danger level for Konoha?!"

Tapping his cane, a nervous gesture that only happened when he was particularly agitated, it was all Danzou could do not to laugh, "The issue of the limiting seals opens entirely new avenues of opportunity to examine. After reviewing this matrix, it is clear to see that Uzumaki will become a warrior of unmatched potential. The only reason we did not wish to use him as a weapon was concern over his real abilities; concerns that will no longer apply once he is reclaimed. If we allow Tsunade to get him patched up, we will have a resource of exceptional strength to use against Itachi and Orochimaru! All we have to do is bring him under our control, and he might even become a potential puppet Hokage in the future."

Although Koharu looked like she had swallowed a lemon, neither could argue with the statement. The depth of limitation that Uzumaki had fought under was a little nerve wracking, all things considered; if he was able to manage a performance of mid-level Chunin while so incapacitated, what could he do with his full potential? He was young, unrefined, and surprisingly inspiring; an excellent puppet to control the next generation. That is, IF they could gain control of HIM.

Practically rubbing his hands together in glee, Danzou felt ALIVE for the first time in years, "Not only that, while the prestige of the Uchiha clan has taken a major hit, many of the civilian population will STILL idolize the power that the Sharingan possesses. By using that as bait, you can influence the key members of the civilian population with actual power, shoring up support and control of the village!"

Looking like the bandaged man was an idiot, Homura snapped, "Of course we realized that, Danzou! The potential gains from winnowing key applicants for the revitalization of the Uchiha clan were obvious! However, no matter how much potential Uzumaki might have or what concessions we might be able to gain from the civilian population, that doesn't change the fact that Tsunade is gone! Without her, we are in a significantly weakened position!"

Waving of the concerns with his cane, Danzou sighed, "As irritating as it might sound, with Jiraiya as the Hokage's Proxy, most foreign powers will hesitate to attack us. They will not see a divided village; they'll see one of the Sannin ready to defend. In fact, this proxy issue makes things a little easier for us, since Jiraiya will not be able to speak with his own voice. That will weaken his position within the village enough for us to gain some significant control! In fact, if we are careful, we might even capture some samples of the Uchiha kekkei genkai for personal, independent use!"

Snorting at the old ally's obsession with breeding programs, Koharu glared, "We will not be able to do much until the safety and security protocols are established. Jiraiya will be careful in case Kabuto or another Sound spy attempts to infiltrate again. While it might be possible, we cannot rely upon it as fact just yet!"

Weary of all the harping, Danzou stood, "I think that we have covered everything that can be discussed this evening; none of us are quite as spry as we used to be. I will send a team to the capital to appraise the Daimyo of the situation, and another to track Tsunade. Let us retire for the evening to discuss the tactics concerning the issue tomorrow."

Nodding in agreement, the Advisor's Council stood to be escorted from the barracks. They might be allies, but Danzou was never foolish enough to share everything with anybody. It was honestly one of the things that they admired about him; only the cautious survive in the world of ninja after all.

-----

Toads might not be bloodhounds, but they can follow pheromones just as well as the next animal.

Kosuke clung to the ceiling, thankful that the old, but still wily Ninja had left without noticing him. He had truly struck pay dirt with this sort of information. If not for the stink of marking slime coming from Homura and Koharu, he might never have found this path into ROOT's base.

He still had to map out the pathways, major exits and entrances, and track potential collaborators for the next few days, but if all when well Jiraiya would be able to pluck ROOT out at the base; removing one of the major threats to Naruto-bro. Gamakichi and Gamatatsu wouldn't shut up about the guy, and the boss Gamabunta had acknowledged him as a true henchman of the toads. Thus, if these guys were going to mess with him, it was up to Kosuke to show them who was boss!

Leaping silently to the ground, the purple toad proceeded to sneak into the hidden base.

-----

Despite what Tsunade might believe, Naruto wasn't quiet out of frustration. He hadn't been raising a stink because he was the more confused now than at any other point in his life.

Ever since he had woken up in the hospital, Naruto had been noticing more and more things seemed different. The stress of Tsunade's news and his recent promotion to Chunin had successfully distracted him for a while. But now that he was spending hours being carried, the normally hyperactive ninja didn't have anything to do except think. What was normally an exercise in pain now came clearly and without issue. He wasn't sure if that was an improvement or not.

Every touch, sight and smell seemed a hundred times stronger; the world was more REAL than anything else. Normally, unless something was moving or threatening him, Naruto couldn't really be bothered to notice it. However, everything nearby was screaming for his attention, from the sound of Hinata's sandal hitting the ground to the warmth from Tsunade-baa-chan's hug from earlier. It was almost like the world was missing some color, or outline, and it was suddenly fixed. Naruto was feeling completely overloaded, and didn't know how to deal with the sensation.

Another confusing thing was the reaction to all of the physical interaction. First there was Sakura's hug, then Hinata holding his hand, Shizune-nee-chan carrying him to Tsunade-baa-chan accidentally suffocating him in her chest. All of these events within the last two days made up more physical attention and affection than he had received at any point in his entire life. Not sure how to deal with the resulting emotions, years of conditioning from Sakura came to the forefront as he kept his mouth shut so they wouldn't hit him for being a pervert. But if he couldn't manage a bathroom trip on his own soon, the blonde might just stab himself in the brain to save himself from a heart attack!

"Oy, Naruto!"

Stiffening, Naruto turned to the smiling Tsunade gulping; that sort of tone never meant anything good for him!

"Yeah Tsunade-baa-chan? What's up?"

Smile widening at the nervous ninja, it was all the blonde Hokage could do not to cackle; this was going to be so much fun! "Since we've got some downtime, I thought we could do some basic training to get you into a bit of shape. You're physically healed, but you need some time to readjust to your re-grown muscles."

Perking up, Naruto grinned; this was just the sort of thing to get his mind focused! Training always made everything better!

Trying to act cocky, despite his uncoordinated limbs and confused mind, Naruto made a peace sign, "Bring it, Baa-chan!"

Cracking her knuckles, Tsunade crouched down, "The point of this exercise is simple; get to the other side of the clearing and back. I will follow you, and for every time that I think that you are slacking, I will tickle you to tears."

Noting the shocked look on the blonde's face, Shizune giggled while holding up a camera, "Plus, every time that she catches you, I'm going to take pictures until you escape!"

Gulping, Naruto was beginning to wish that Ero-sennin had taken him as an apprentice instead.

"Ready? START!"

-----

_What is the red chakra?_

Waiting for Kurenai-sensei to pick her up, Sakura couldn't stop thinking about the confrontation with Sasuke yesterday. The meeting had stirred up so many emotions and issues that it was all she could do to wake up this morning. Questions about her devotion to Sasuke, her complex feelings of love and jealousy when dealing with him consumed Sakura's mind. The raw anger that being dismissed like that sparked deep within her soul, to the loss of confidence that his comments generated; all of these facts ran around her brain until practically early morning. If it wasn't for some very strong tea, Sakura would probably still be passed out or a zombie. Yet after all of that thinking, the one question that came to mind was, ironically, from Sasuke-kun's own mouth about Naruto.

They had been teammates for months, and thinking back, Sakura HAD begun to notice certain things that didn't add up. Moments of great danger where Naruto began to show anger or aggressive behavior, wounds that healed within minutes that should have taken days, eyes that slit or shifted color; these clues churned through Sakura's mind, trying to find a pattern. It made no sense that the idiot, who she had begun to like a bit as a friend, could have such a huge secret. As far as she knew, since being on Team Seven she was the closest to Naruto that anyone ever had been before. When all of the parents told their children...to stay away...

Frowning, Sakura tried to remember WHY she had been told to stay away from Naruto for so many years. Thinking about it, no reason was ever given or suggested, just the simple fact that Naruto was trouble. As funny as some of his pranks were throughout the Academy, it only encouraged his isolation. But the warnings started years before the pranks, almost as soon as she had seen him on the street. Why tell everybody to stay away from a little kid like that? It was just so confusing!

Then there were the suppression seals Tsunade-sama had talked about. What could people be scared by enough to hurt a little kid like that? Some paint bombs didn't equate mental and physical trauma of that level! She might have started seeing Naruto as a friend, but hearing something like that made her wonder who Uzumaki Naruto really was? At least the ban on talking with her peers was over, so she could pick Ino's brain for ideas. Despite her flighty appearance, the loud blonde was smart, and was hooked up to the greatest gossip network in the village. If ANYONE could figure out why this had been done to Naruto, she could!

**_Or you could always get up off your butt, and ask him! CHA!_**

Shaking her head at the 'inner-Sakura's' sudden intervention, Sakura chugged the rest of her tea.

_No, I can't do that! He's going to be in rehabilitation for months! I won't distract Naruto while he's recovering!_

_**Common, it wouldn't take that long! Besides, we're among his precious people, aren't we? One little question won't change that!**_

Rubbing her temples in irritation, Sakura was about to answer before hearing a pounding on the door. Getting a feeling of Deja vu, she proceeded to the door, assuming that Kurenai-sensei was here to begin working on the revision to Team Eight. Opening it, Sakura had to suppress the urge to dispel the obvious genjutsu; this couldn't be right!

Standing on her front walkway, with a sake bottle and bag of dango in hand, stood the second examiner from the Chunin Exam, Mitarashi Anko. She cut a very imposing figure, and despite the slight reddish tinge in her cheeks, Anko was clearly still a scary, creepy and dangerous ninja. Someone who licked blood for fun was definitely not a person to piss off. However, the look she was pinning the Genin with didn't help Sakura's state of mind at all. It was almost like a mouse facing the glare of a hawk.

Taking a swig from her bottle, the Snake Kunoichi was her normal charming self, "You that Haruno brat?" Seemingly ignoring the frantic nodding, she grabbed the pink haired Genin's little shoulder, "Kurenai's tied up with a debriefing in the hospital. She called in a favor to have me talk with you for a bit. Afterwards, you are going to head out to meet her at Ichiraku's for a meal; that is, if you can stomach anything after we chat." Licking her lips, Anko gave the terrified Genin her best, 'I'm the scariest bitch you'll ever meet' smirk. As always, it worked like a charm.

Shuddering at the look, Sakura barely managed to close the door before being shushined away.

-----

Yamanaka Inoichi was deep in thought.

Over the years, he had not given the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki much attention, other than warning his little girl to avoid the brat. It wasn't that he distrusted the Fourth, but anything associated with the Fox had very negative connotations in Konoha. Being linked with Naruto could be very damaging socially, and could result in an attack on her person. So even if it was a little cruel, Inoichi had acted to protect his princess. It hadn't taken much to persuade Ino that Naruto was bad news, and the rumor mill was soon buzzing with her input. Making the kid a pariah might have been a LITTLE extreme, but if it protected their children, no harm no foul, right?

Wrong.

Walking down the main street, he could already see that the various factions were reeling in shock. Merchants and ninja alike were chatting on the streets like gossiping housewives, spreading the tale of Tsunade's leave of absence and the crimes committed against Uzumaki. There were undertones of fear, from possible attack to Jiraiya's changing the decency laws for his own amusement, anger from the decommissioning of Sasuke to excitement for the possible repopulation of the clan with volunteers; and then there were the responses from his fellow Konoha citizens as he walked down the street. Many of the Ninja were neutral, especially until the clan's personal reaction to Jinzo and Kenshin's actions was determined, but the civilians...

Nodding at another cheerful greeting, Inoichi felt each step become heavier and heavier.

...the civilian population was practically GIDDY!

It was as if the criminals who brutalized a little boy were HEROES! Everywhere he looked, no matter how dangerous the seals were for the safety of Konoha, another civilian was beaming at the guts of the Yamanaka Clan. That heroic group who, right along with the Uchiha and the Hyuga, acted to protect Konoha from the manipulations of the Kyuubi, weakening him to be taken out later. This sort of reaction was SICKENING!

Inoichi had done things during the war that woke him up late at night; actions of such horror were common in brutal times. However, the one way that he went back to sleep was the understanding that every atrocity, every death or torture was for the good of Konoha. They were not acts that he enjoyed or celebrated, but each was needed to protect his home. Under no NORMAL circumstances could he condone such actions, yet his family was considered heroes because of assault and abuse. This was not what he wanted at all.

Luckily the adoration wasn't universal, or he would have had to question the necessity of saving Konoha. That ramen girl had given a cold look; a couple of the store owners were less than friendly, and the weapon store clerk refused to look him in the face. Some of the civilian women who had seen the Chunin Exam had glared as he walked by, and academy students had tried to chuck an egg at him! But the majority of Konoha, most of whom had never even SEEN Naruto was ecstatic. This had to be corrected, before he decided to puke at the horror of it all.

His friends were no help this time. Chouza was still reeling at the fact he had called for Uzumaki's death; the same Uzumaki who brought Tsunade-sama back to heal his son. Shikaku had spent hours staring at that Shogi board, contemplating the game with Shikamaru, before going to bed. No one really knew how to talk about the fact that, as a group, the original Ino-Shika-Cho had been complicit in a case of child abuse. Realizing that Naruto was truly a human child was nearly the most traumatic event of the week, right behind their children nearly dying at the hands of Sound.

Shuddering, Inoichi didn't even want to contemplate the younger generation's reactions. Despite their best efforts, many of the children now saw Naruto as a friend; as such, when they found out about the abuse, if they didn't know already...

Seeing the smiling face of his kinsman, ragged and without a hiate but alive, Inoichi squared his shoulders. If he was ever going to be able to view the Yamanaka clan with pride again, something extreme would have to be done.

-----

Gasping for breath, Naruto cursed the new enhanced senses with his entire being. If those pictures ever got out, he'd NEVER be made Hokage! Running had not been possible for the young ninja, so he had been forced to crawl. It seemed that, every time he stopped to rest, Tsunade-baa-chan would swoop down to attack, with Shizune gleefully recording the abuse! It looked so pathetic that even Hinata, nice sweet Hinata, had started giggling at him! Naruto had never felt more humiliated in his life! Throughout the entire raging monologue, he steadfastly refused to acknowledge the part of him that not only enjoyed the attention, but had fun while doing it.

Surprisingly, Tsunade's hunch proved to be correct. Not having any time to think about the situation, Naruto had instinctively acted to flee as quickly as possible. Since he wasn't thinking during the process, his body automatically started to move more efficiently. The work of a couple of months done in two hours; it was somewhat terrifying how strong Naruto was. With a little training, he'd be punching craters in no time! Of course at the moment, all he could do was walk with a limp; but it was a major improvement.

Stirring the stew, Shizune hummed in consideration, "Say, Tsunade-sama? Perhaps now would be a good time for Hinata-chan to help with the training? Dinner is going to be about an hour from now, so we have some time."

Looking over the shy little Hyuga, Tsunade had to agree; everyone had to get used to one another for them to remain safe. While Hinata's crush was cute, some desensitization was in order. Otherwise, an ambush could grab the fainting girl and put the entire group at risk. Besides, Shizune was making dinner and she needed a break. This little exercise shouldn't take too long, and was well within their respective abilities. Anyway, Naruto wasn't crass enough to lash out at such a sweet girl; it probably went against his man-code or something.

Helping the stumbling but stable ninja closer to the fire, Tsunade handed him a book, "Alright, Naruto, I want you to look over this text, and have Hinata help you if you have any trouble with it, ok?"

Glancing at the title, Naruto felt his hair bristle; this wasn't a book of cool Justu! "Baa-chan! What the hell?! This is..."

Coming over at Shizune's request, Hinata blinked at the title, "A..a..ano, isn't that the First Year Academy Review Text?"

Nodding at the two shocked teenagers, Tsunade smiled sadly, "Naruto, those seals hindered your ability to learn. We're going to start from the ground up, and review everything to make sure you can understand it. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time continuing on to advanced Jutsu. Don't worry though; if you pick it up quickly enough, we should finish the texts before the end of the week."

Wilting at the reminder of the suppression seals, Naruto grumbled as he opened the text to the beginning. Hesitant, Hinata placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, hoping to encourage him. Getting so close without fainting was difficult, but Hinata NEEDED to help Naruto; he had already done so much for her, it would be horrible of her not to try. Glancing up at the touch, Naruto gave a wiry grin which painted Hinata's face scarlet in short order. The rapid stream of questions kept her focused though, and the two began to slowly review the text together. It was a little painful to need help on such basic stuff, but Naruto was glad he had a friend there to aid him this time.

Grinning at the sight, Tsunade started pulling out her own reading material, confident that the proximity seals Shizune had placed earlier would alert them of any danger. She had some special materials with her, and now was the perfect time to review them. Some of these techniques had never left the village archives before, so she wanted to be fully trained in their use before proceeding.

-----

"What are you talking about, Kurenai-sensei!?"

Kiba, despite his wounded side and injured partner, looked ready to tear out somebody s throat. Shino had come by after his earlier mission and the two were chatting (i.e., Kiba was chatting while Shino was occasionally nodding) when Kurenai-sensei had entered with a skinny Choji, a nervous Ino, and a slouching Shikamaru. Lining up the younger Konoha ninja, she had explained that, while their mission was a success, certain things had happened because of it. Naruto had almost DIED capturing the Uchiha, and the healing scans had shown some troubling things. Because of this, lady Tsunade had taken Naruto from the village to heal him in private, taking Shizune and Hinata with her.

That, you see, was the part that the Inuzuka was having trouble with. Hinata was a sweet girl who obviously had a crush on Naruto to some degree. She was part of his pack, and hadn't even told them she was leaving! While Hinata was the like a sister to him, Kiba did like the girl, and was confused by the declaration that she had to follow Naruto into seclusion. It didn't make any sense! Based upon the looks some of the other Genin were throwing around, he wasn't the only one confused by this turn of events.

Pinching her nose in irritation, Kurenai sighed, "Kiba, these 'injuries' were suppression seals, placed on Naruto YEARS ago. Do you have any idea how horrible that kind of action is? It's like whole sections of Naruto's potential were cut out with a rusty kunai, limiting him to a fraction of what he could be. That sort of treatment is CRIMINAL, and it was perpetuated by Ninja's WITHIN Konoha! Of course the Hokage doesn't want him anywhere near here while he's recovering; I think that she's worried she'll kill someone in retaliation."

Sliding his sunglasses up, Shino stared the frustrated Jonin down as best as he could, "Nevertheless, Sensei, you have failed to answer the question. Why was Hinata dragged off to aid in his recovery?"

Smiling sadly, Kurenai shrugged her shoulders, "Hokage-sama reviewed Hinata's information, battle at the Chunin exams, and tested her special healing salve; based upon that she decided to take Hinata on as an apprentice. Judging from the speed that they left, I just don't think that she had time to say goodbye."

The shocked silence was golden to her ears.

Shaking her head in denial, Ino grasped for straws, "But Kurenai-sensei! This whole thing doesn't make any sense! Naruto might be a little stupid and silly, but that's no reason to abuse him like that! What sort of jerks seal up a little kid!?"

Before she could answer Inoichi entered the room, his face a stone mask, "Ino, you need to come home now. There is a Clan Judgment that requires everyone to attend."

Shocked by the tone, Ino tried the puppy dog eye technique; it hadn't failed her since she was three! "But Daddy! I'm trying to find out about Naruto! Some freaks hurt him, and I need to find out who to help beat up!"

Choking at the word 'freak', Inoichi glared down at his daughter, "NOW, Ino! This cannot wait."

Gulping, the young Kunoichi followed with a quick nod to her friends; this sort of behavior was very troubling and weird so something big must have happened.

Palming his face, Shikamaru could guess what it was about. Things were going to get very troublesome in the near future.

Turning to the remaining Genin, and one Chunin, Kurenai calmly continued, "Now, with Sasuke imprisoned, Team Seven is effectively dissolved. While Naruto is in recuperation, Sakura will be taking over for Hinata during a trial period of approximately six months. Since you are grounded for a bit, Kiba, Shino and I will be bringing her up to speed. Apparently, Kakashi dropped the ball with her Kunoichi training, so it's going to take time for her to be battle ready. Heal up, and in about two or three months, we'll start missions as a group again, ok? Now Shino, if you'll come with me, we're going to meet with Sakura for some team bonding over dinner. Sit tight Kiba and I'll come by tomorrow to answer any more questions that I can."

As the group dispersed, Kiba punched his pillow in anger; if Naruto was fighting under a handicap the whole time, how strong could he become? Or...how weak were he and Akamaru if they still had that much trouble?

Sleep was a long time coming for the irritated Inuzuka.

-----

Eating her stew slowly, Hinata was close to tears; this was more horrible than she could have believed! Proceeding through the text, it was clear that Naruto had originally retained perhaps one word in fifty from his school days. All together, besides the basics on traps and poison recognition, he really had no clue on the majority of the material. She could understand the interest in traps for pranking, but when Hinata had asked why he was so good with poisoning, Naruto had looked down, mumbling something about having some practice. For a Hyuga, reading between the lines was as simple as breathing. Just how much had Naruto endured at the hands of those he had sworn to protect?

But the heartbreaking thing was realizing that the majority of his issues with the text stemmed from not knowing how to read! He could pick out general ideas, and a few key symbols, but the vast majority of his knowledge in literature was either incomplete or just plain wrong! If no one had tried to teach him properly before, it was a wonder that Naruto's marks were as high as he managed! Also, once she started showing him the meanings and tutoring him on specifics, the young Ninja absorbed data like a sponge. By the time dinner rolled around, Naruto had a better retention of the material than she did, and had apparently memorized over half the text verbatim. This level of intelligence was downright intimidating, and forced her to wonder. How much of the real Naruto had been hidden by the seals and his poor upbringing, and would this new Naruto still want or need Hinata as a friend?

Seeing the boy in question looking at her, Hinata forced a smile to her lips. She would not cause him further worry.

On Naruto's end, he was SHOCKED at how good a teacher Hinata-chan was! He had looked over this text for HOURS growing up, but despite his best efforts, most of it he couldn't understand. The Academy Teachers hadn't been of much help, since none of them had time for the 'little brat.' Recently, any time that Sakura-chan tried to lecture him on stuff, maybe half of it stuck. But here, sitting next to this nice girl who would explain things to him, the information suddenly made sense! Man, whoever got Hinata-chan as a Jonin Instructor was going to be super lucky! If the rest of the review went like this, he'd be learning awesome Jutsu by the end of the next DAY; never mind a whole week! Looking over at the girl, he tried to give her the strongest smile that he could manage in thanks. She looked like she was about to faint, but for once Naruto wasn't worried. With Baa-chan here, maybe Hinata could be cured of her fainting and constant fever. It couldn't be good for her!

Finishing off her stew, Tsunade smiled at the progress that Naruto and Hinata had made. As she suspected, without the seals hindering him, Naruto's only barrier to learning was his lack of an attention span. With Hinata there to calm him down, the rate of progress was truly astounding. On the flip side, with her concern for Naruto covering her face plain as day, Hinata was too busy helping him to faint or get nervous. If this could be maintained, perhaps the two of them could even have a conversation one day soon! It really was a win-win situation all things considered. Now, to move on to the next 'training exercise'...heh heh heh...

"Alright now, we have maybe an hour before its time to rest; plenty of time for some quick practice before bed. Naruto, your hand seal coordination is probably going to be all over the place for a bit, so it's up to us to bring your dexterity to appropriate levels. There are a lot of methods for doing this but, lucky for you, I happen to be the best at the fastest one!."

Reaching into her coat, Tsunade pulled out a...deck of cards?!

Eyebrow twitching, Naruto gave the Hokage a flat look, "You just want to gamble, don't ya Baa-chan?"

Straightening her back, Tsunade affected the strongest innocent look she could manage, "I'll have you know that card shuffling and handling results in excellent dexterity! Why, it was one of my favorite training exercises growing up! Sarutobi-sensei showed me himself!"

Still wary, Naruto hesitantly picked up the deck, "You sure, Baa-chan?"

Smiling reassuringly, Tsunade ignored her oldest apprentice sighing in frustration, "Of course, Naruto. Would I lie about something like that? Once you're good enough, we might even try to make it a little more interesting..."

Absently trying to flip through the cards, Naruto mumbled, "What do you mean?"

Rubbing his shoulder, much to Hinata's dismay, Tsunade gave her infamous shit-eating grin, "Tell me Naruto, have you ever heard about a game called poker?"

-----

Anko, Sakura decided, was the undisputed scariest Kunoichi that she had ever met. After leaving her house, Anko had dragged her to the edge of Training Ground Forty Four; the Forest of Death. Nervous from the memories that the place inspired, Sakura had edged as far from the fence as possible. However, unmindful of her concern, Anko had dragged her into the area, dropping into a clearing about five minutes from the fence. Then, for the next ten minutes, any time that something tried to bother the two of them she blasted out killing intent while calmly eating some dango. After seeing giant tigers, carnivorous slugs and birds of prey flee from her; Sakura was about ready to faint. It might not be much compared to Orochimaru, but this was the longest that she had endured this sort of pressure. It was insane!

Seeing that her victim was softened up enough, Anko decided that it was time to start their 'talk.' "Do you know who I am, girl?"

Struggling under the weight of her fear, Sakura tried to meet the Special Jonin in the eye, "You're that examiner from the second part of the Chunin Exam, Mitarashi Anko, right?"

Shrugging at the little bit of data, Anko threw another bamboo stick at the tree across the clearing, "That's my name, but not really who I am. The name's Mitarashi Anko, Special Jonin and second in command under Morino Ibiki; in fact some say I might succeed the lug. That would make me the second best active interrogation ninja in Konoha, and one of the primary assassins. That, Pinky, is who I am."

Taking a hand full of hair, Anko proceeded to force Sakura to stare into her unblinking gaze, "That means that, when we deal with traitors or threats to Konoha, I am one of those who gets to break them; you got that?" Releasing the Genin, she watched the spasms of pain without comment or reaction; the Snake Bitch had seen much worse. Pushing the little girl into a rough seat, Anko started to twirl a kunai around her little finger, enjoying the flinching her temporary charge indulged in; it was just so cute! "Kurenai filled me in on the Uchiha's little tantrum. Seeing him was stupid, and I don't know why Tsunade let you go. That kids a god damned menace. No one sane or worth your time will try to kill a teammate; it's just an incident waiting to happen. So why, after all of the shit that little prick put you and your friends through, did you need to see him that badly? What could possibly be worth it?"

Trying to find her breath, Sakura gathered her thoughts, "I just needed to see him, to try to understand why he did it..."

Gripping the kunai, Anko spit another stick out, this time drawing blood from the young Genin's face, "Wrong. You knew why he did it; little prick told you before knocking you out. He was a power hungry nut-job who decided offing a few Konoha ninja was worth his revenge. That kind of person doesn't need anyone checking up on them. They need a poison pill slipped into their food. Once he became a traitor, Uchiha Sasuke officially was not worth your time. What has that idiot Kakashi been teaching you?"

Thinking back to her early Genin days, Sakura automatically slipped out, "Those who abandon the mission are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. I guess it felt like I was abandoning him..."

Slamming her kunai into the branch next to her, Anko glared at the little child in front of her, "Wrong. HE abandoned YOU; by your own teachings that makes him less than the lowest trash. Sasuke decided to not only abandon his comrades, but attack them as well. You cannot get any lower than that." Seeing the slump of her shoulders, Anko pressed on, "Tell ya what, Pinky, let's try a little exercise; I want you to repeat after me; Sasuke is a jerk."

Trembling, Sakura wondered if this is what Hinata felt when trying to talk about Naruto, "S..Sasuke is a jerk."

Nodding, Anko smirked, "Sasuke is not worth my time!"

Straightening her back, Sakura tried to grab the anger from earlier, "S..Sasuke is not worth my t..time!"

Smiling, Anko nodded almost giddily, "Now then, say that Sasuke needs to die!"

Forcing a smile Sakura tried to continue the exercise, fearful for her safety, "Sasuke needs to.. needs to..."

Looking into the crazy eyes of Anko, Sakura couldn't seem to say it, no matter how scared she was; a fact that rapidly began to piss the Special Jonin off. "What's wrong Pinky? You were doing so well; all you've got to say is 'Sasuke needs to die' and everything will feel so much better!"

Terrified, Sakura tried to back away from the angry woman, only to be held again by her hair. "Where's your hate? This little bastard tried to kill your teammate! His allies tried to kill your friends! What is it GOING TO TAKE TO GET THROUGH TO YOU!?"

Haruno Sakura was normally a fairly collected young girl. In fact, to the majority of the Konoha citizenship, she was a nice girl next door type. However, what many never saw was the true root of rage and pain buried within her heart. While it was recessive and didn't show up often, Ino and Naruto could attest to its potency. Therefore after being pushed, pulled and prodded for days, the result should have been obvious. Unfortunately, Anko-chan didn't know Sakura well enough to anticipate her reaction.

Forming her fist, Sakura lashed out in anger, shattering the trunk behind them, "CHA! I DON'T KNOW YOU CRAZY BITCH!"

Surprised by the sudden attack, Anko released the seemingly mild mannered Genin's hair in shock. Not even noticing, Sakura stood with fire in her eyes, "Sasuke, Sasuke, SASUKE! All you've done is tear him down! Sure he had problems, and I cannot agree with his choices. Heck! I can never forgive him for what he has done! But DON'T YOU STAND THERE AND SAY I NEED TO WISH FOR HIS DEATH! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT I FEEL?!"

Her pent-up rage drained, Sakura collapsed, suddenly feeling powerless, "You don't know what it's like...to love someone and be thrown away like trash...I can't just cut him out of my heart...it's not some sort of switch I can throw at will...not so soon or so fast..."

Anko wasn't the comforting sort, and that wasn't going to change now. This little brat had no idea what buttons she was pushing, and it was only because of Kurenai's intervention that she wasn't gutting the little slut like a fish. No one was allowed to throw accusations like that around her without consequence! She had a much more difficult situation, and this little brat was crying that her crush had turned traitor; it was sickening...but a little perspective couldn't hurt.

Calmly grabbing that red atrocity of a dress, Anko grabbed her kunai and pinned Sakura like an insect specimen, "Alright, you little idiot, it's time for a tiny history lesson. Settle in and don't make a sound; otherwise I might leave you here for the kitties. You understand?"

Swallowing, Sakura nodded.

Leaning back, Anko drained the rest of her Sake, remembering as much as she could from the painful past, "Once, there was a little girl who loved a famous ninja with all of her heart. She wasn't like you; this girl achieved the top place in the Academy by the age of ten, and became a Chunin by the age of twelve. When she was your age, she had already spilled blood, tortured, and seduced for Konoha, but more importantly for her love. That man took her as an apprentice; teaching the little girl techniques and kinjutsu that would turn your hair white. She was his favorite pet, and couldn't be happier for that fact."

Staying quiet, Sakura narrowed her eyes; this story seemed kind of familiar.

Fixing the Genin with a look, Anko bit out, "However, no matter how powerful or well respected her master became; it was never enough for him. Soon, tired of the limits and lack of position her master left Konoha, bringing the trusting, foolish girl with him for some fun. She was confused, but loved her master, and thought that would be enough from now on."

Suddenly angry, Anko grabbed the terrified Sakura by the face, "HOWEVER, Orochimaru wasn't that nice; he just needed a good test subject. So when he tried out the original Curse Seal on me and nine other children, my purpose was complete. When I survived, while the others died, I became the hope for the future of that wretched technique. But no matter how much I loved him, I would never be able to forgive Orochimaru. To this day, I still curse the moment that I agreed to follow him long enough to be his guinea pig. Even now, I want to kill that bastard with my entire heart and soul!"

Releasing Sakura's head, the Snake Bitch glared at the child with cold fury, "So before you start mouthing off to your betters, make DAMN sure that you know what you're talking about. You have no idea how good you have it for being left behind, and if I even SUSPECT that you are going to correct your 'mistake'..."

Twirling another Kunai, her message was as clear as daylight. Sakura nodded dumbly, realizing how close she had come to death in that moment of arrogance. It was not a mistake she was going to make again anytime soon.

Grabbing the kunai holding her temporary charge to the tree, Anko unpinned her abruptly, letting the child fall to her knees. "If Kurenai and Tsunade-sama didn't think you were worth saving, I would kill you right now. As it is, you should be under observation for YEARS for even contemplating joining that bastard. But, since you were young, foolish, and unsuccessful, you get a chance to show your loyalty with practically no strings attached. Me? It took nearly three years of probation before I could even leave the village again, and another four before I could test for a Jonin rank. Do yourself a favor though; forget about loving the Uchiha or defending the Uchiha right now. Otherwise, you'll travel a path that will lead to your death; probably at my own hands. Get stronger, or you're never going to be able to face yourself in the mirror again; I know I wouldn't have been able to."

Drained from the constant fear, Sakura could only eek out an affirmative.

Stretching after the dramatic conversation, Anko smiled a semi-normal smile, "Well then, let's get you to Ichiraku's! Kurenai should be waiting for us with Shino soon; then you can start bonding as a team! Won't that be a blast?"

Standing, Sakura had a sudden thought; Anko-san was rather loose with the details in her story. Some of those facts had to have been restricted information. Perhaps she would...

"Ano, Anko-san?"

Glancing over her shoulder, the Special Jonin sighed, "What is it Pinky?"

Firming her resolve, Sakura blurted out, "Do you know what the red chakra is?"

Stiffening, Anko's grin became etched in stone, "Maybe the blonde brat will tell you himself when they get back..."

Mouth dry, Sakura stared at the Snake Bitch in shock, "Get back?"

Shrugging her shoulders (thus doing very interesting things to her upper torso) Anko sighed, "Where the hell have you been? Tsunade, Shizune, Hinata and Naruto left the village sometime within the last twenty four hours. No one knows where they are or when they're coming back." Jumping from the branch, Anko proceeded to the edge of the forest.

Following in a daze, Sakura could only think, _Well I guess I won't be asking Naruto anything for a while..._

-----

Stretching, Naruto blinked in confusion, "Did any of you guys hear something?"

Eyebrow twitching at the sight of the giant pile of chips in front of the 'rube', Tsunade barked, "It's just your imagination! Now deal the damn cards!"

-----

So it continued for the next two days. Tsunade would constantly focus on conditioning Naruto's body to crawl, then walk, then run whenever they took a break. Sometimes Shizune would join in, gathering year's worth of blackmail material to use against the kid. Tonton, when bored, would chase Naruto around for fun, jumping up and down on his belly whenever he happened to trip. With all of this constant movement, Naruto was almost able to fake a civilian's coordination by the second day; a mind-numbing achievement. He was still carried while they were traveling though, due to a lack of needed chakra control for tree hopping.

Hinata would continue to help around the camp with standard chores and scanning for potential enemies. However, her most important duty became the tutoring sessions with Naruto; pushing his mind more as the material progressed. By the second day, Naruto's theoretical knowledge was about the level of a third year academy student. Since they were constantly moving, and only stopped to review maybe twice a day, the jump was significant. In fact, they were so focused during these sessions that Hinata only fainted when Naruto was especially enthusiastic about thanking her for being 'such a kick ass teacher!' Of course, Naruto STILL couldn't figure out why the others laughed at that; Hinata could be seriously sick!

Finally, though, they found a path to a large and well kept castle, causing both Tsunade and Shizune to relax. The first leg of their journey was over, and they could rest and train in peace.

Turning to her younger charges, Tsunade smiled, "Welcome to the Land of Vegetables."

-----

Author's Note

Ahh, I have been dying to get that out of my system for days!

For those of you who were confused, I'm just going to spell it out for you. Tsunade made TWO clones and Shizune made FOUR. One of the Tsunade clones stayed to deliver the announcement, while the other left with the four Shizune clones (three under henge) to lay a false trail. Naruto's exploits in the Land of Waves are fairly well known now, so it was an obvious place to start looking for the group. Thus, it was completely unsuitable for a hiding place, and the LAST place they should go to. Luckily, Tsunade has made a few random friends over the years, and because they are so spread out, no one really knows about her network of connections; a much better group to find a hiding spot with.

The blow up with Anko is Kurenai's version of 'tough love.' While she doesn't think that Sakura will defect without the Uchiha, she wanted to force the lesson home that betrayal has consequences. This little rant was somewhat aimed at those who think that Sakura was acting too OCC. In fact, she has been in shock and suppressing, but this event forced her to face those demons in a somewhat forward fashion. She might never really forgive the Uchiha, but as sick as it is, a part of her still loves him. She's been in denial after seeing Naruto, but can't avoid the subject anymore. Hopefully, this will motivate her in training, if only to forget the pain and self loathing.

Yes, technically, Jiraiya should have had enough pull to kill the Advisor's Council after their independent attempts at treason. However, as shown here, they can actually be of more use alive than dead. They are using the power given to them to collect civilian allies, while he can use THEM to sniff out high powered collaborators. Not everything will go according to plan, but there will be some interesting changes.

Right now, the civilian population and the ninja populations are finding themselves on the opposite sides of the ideological fence. The ninja's are sickened by the danger and arrogance of the sealers, while the civilians are mostly celebrating that someone stuck it to the brat when they could not. The ninja are angered at the treason of the Uchiha while the civilians only see the opportunity that being linked to such a clan can bring them. It's not universal, but they are slowly polarizing; something that will only get worse with time. That tune will start to change, though, once some power plays and new rumors are put into place.

Now, since I have received so much feedback on the subject, I am giving up and starting a poll. If you want input on whether I should focus on a future Harem or make this pure Naruto and Hinata romance, please vote. That way, I'll have a better idea on what to concentrate upon. Thank you!

Once again, thank you for the numerous reviews and PM's I have received. If you haven't noticed yet (and if so, where have you been?) check out the new chapter of MegaB's masterpiece. I apparently made a small suggestion that he liked enough to actually use, much to my honor. I am still on the lookout for betas, but responses to the story make all the effort worth it. Please continue!

Now things are going to get a little harry, as we check in with the different factions to discover what their actual take on the situation is going to be.


	7. Making Time, Moving Pieces

No I don't own Naruto, but if I do this right, you're going to wish I did :)

Chapter 7: Making Time, Moving Pieces

As the group of ninja traveled across the valley towards the castle, Tsunade whispered under her breath, "Hinata; check the area for observers."

Lowering her gaze, the shy Hyuga managed to activate her byakugan with a minimum of hand seals, "There are a few guards around the castle, but no signs of ninja activity; focused on us or otherwise."

Sighing in relief, the Slug Sannin led them off the main pathway, checking occasionally for markers. Seeing Naruto and Hinata's confusion, Shizune helpfully supplied, "Tsunade-sama is old friends with the leader of this country. The Land of Vegetables is not the richest or the most powerful of places; but they are fairly friendly here and are a bit out of the way. It's a perfect place to stay while we concentrate on accelerating your training under the radar."

Gazing fondly at a familiar branch, Tsunade continued the talk, "Traveling around to hide from any enemy or friendly pursuit is all well and good. But we need some time in one place to concentrate on developing your skills. Quite frankly, training while we're travelling is just too dangerous for the two of you with your current level of ability. If I can talk the Daimyo of Vegetable into letting us crash here for a few weeks, things will go a lot smoother. Luckily, he's one of the friends I never borrowed money from. Ah, here we go!" Going up a narrow path hidden from the main road, Tsunade rapped a quick pattern on a random tree knot. In response, a narrow band of light stretched overhead, lighting the way.

The group followed the newly marked trail for about five minutes before stopping. Before them was an unassuming older man, covered from head to foot in camouflage, "What business do you seek with the Sprouting Vine?" Clearing her throat, Tsunade responded in a respectfully ritualistic tone, "The Yellow Rose returns to join the vine, seeking shelter in the shade." Tilting his head, the man replied in confusion, "Such a rose has long since fled, to find new roots in firmer soil. Why return to the lowly shade?" Coloring slightly, even as Shizune rubbed her temples in irritation, Tsunade fought to keep the tone civil. "The rose will never find the shade lowly, especially in the brightness of the day. Sharing sweet nectar and simple lodgings is far superior to the cold finality of a crystal vase." Twitching at the tone, the man waved them forward parting the bushes beside him. Beyond the path was a small hut, well kept and surrounded by flowers and a small lake; they were directed to enter with hand signs, only to be left to their own devices.

Noticing how the blonde Hokage was glaring at the wall, Naruto looked at Shizune in confusion, "Shizune-nee-chan, what was with all that talk about flowers and vines back there? It sounded like a bunch of weird poetry." Sighing in worry at their initial treatment, Shizune tried to explain, "Naruto that was a set of code phrases used by the personal attendants of the Daimyo. The ninja of the Land of Vegetables are few in number, and are solely focused upon protection of the royal family. This is a screening area to prevent imposters from trying to sneak in and assassinate the leader or his court. Some of the wording of his responses though..." Gulping at the nervous tone, Hinata gathered Tonton into her chest for a hug, "W..w..hat's wrong with the code?" Grumbling, Tsunade answered before the situation could be sugar-coated, "The fact that I'm using secret phrases and sneaking around apparently set off some warning bells. If this was an official visit, it would have been planned months in advance with a full escort. If it was something secret, normal procedure would be to send a representative, most likely Shizune herself. A group like this is very suspicious apparently. The guy might like me, but he would be hesitant if his forces thought that we were exiled or running away from responsibility. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to explain the situation before we're asked to leave."

Blinking in shock, Naruto tried to jump up, only to fall backwards, "WHAT!?! But I thought this guy was your friend! Shouldn't that mean that he'd try to help us for a little bit, at least?" Grumbling, Tsunade picked Naruto up by the scruff of the neck like a disobedient cat, "The Daimyo might be my friend, but he's also the leader of his entire country. Since he's a good leader, he's willing to put them first before anything. Heck, to insure peace, he sent his only daughter into exile as a hostage, hoping to preserve ties with foreign allies. That is just the sort of decision that a leader has to make sometimes." Patting the boy on the head, Shizune smiled at his pout, "Oh, don't worry Naruto-kun; things will probably be alright. The very fact that we got here without any trouble indicates we should get an audience at least. Just try to be a little patient; this isn't the only place we can go if things get difficult."

Before any more concerns could be aired, the door opened, admitting the same man from earlier, "The Vine would like to meet the Rose to dine this evening, beneath the moonlight. You're granted safety and security here for three days unless the vine wishes otherwise. Please, rest under the shade while food and drink are brought. This will be your home while in the Land of Vegetables, so settle as you wish." Bowing deeply, the attendant left a much more relaxed group than he entered. They had time, and Tsunade had a chance to explain; best to make the most of the situation.

"So, who's up for another round of cards while we wait?"

-----

_Genyuumaru had fine hands, though they will take some time to adjust to._

Orochimaru, newly implanted within his current vessel, was sitting quietly, rapping his fingers. It was a constant, soothing pattern that helped calm his anger. While recovering from surgery, the Snake Sanin was far from his normal level of ability; thus, he had to make himself scarce. That normally wouldn't be much of a problem, but this disastrous mission had cost him his best underlings. With the Sound's Spy Master off investigating the status of poor Sasuke-kun, he had little to do except sit and wait, imbuing an IV of drugs and nutrients to aid his recovery. The situation was, admittedly, far from ideal.

Twitching, stolen eyes tracked the sudden appearance of a cloaked figure. There was no tenseness in Orochimaru's movement though, and momentarily Kabuto came into view. Although the infiltrator was a master of hiding his emotions, the eyes do not often lie. Orochimaru was almost prepared for bad news at this point. Depending upon its severity, he might even considering letting his subjects live a while longer as he recovered. Venting on the help was SUCH bad manners.

Forcing himself to focus past the pain medication, Orochimaru hissed, "Kabuto... what has happened to Sasuke-kun?" Swallowing slightly, the silver-haired medic forced himself to show no fear; that would only encourage further torture. "Orochimaru-sama...Sasuke was successfully recaptured by a team of leaf ninja. The whole village is buzzing about it; apparently that lazy Nara led a group of his classmates to capture him and did so successfully." Twitching, the Snake's anger bubbled, shimmering beneath the surface, "Are you telling me that the Sound Five were defeated and killed by a bunch of GENIN!" Flinching back out of reflex, Kabuto quickly tried to cover his own actions, "They had been weakened by two returning Jonin and three required the intervention of Gaara's Genin Team, but yes they were killed."

However, Orochimaru could no longer hear him. All of his hopes plans and dreams were now ashes thanks to some pathetic brats! This could not stand! Deep from the back of his throat, a thunderous primal howl started to form. When the sound started, walls shook, Ninja scattered, and Kabuto nearly wet himself in fear. Orochimaru-sama rarely lost his head like this; he personified the Snake in mannerism and morals. He rarely got mad, preferring to get even, and any rage burned colder than ice. This, though, was like standing next to a volcano of killing intent; it was almost unbearable. Stopping as his throat began to bleed, Orochimaru fixed his last and most loyal subordinate with a bloodshot glare, "Where is Sasuke-kun now?"

Wiping some sweat from his brow, the spy sighed, "It is not generally known, but there are approximately five possible locations they could be keeping him. I would need WEEKS to locate the specific holding ground, and even more time to leave without tipping off anyone that the location was known. What IS known is that Sasuke was stripped of any Ninja status, and was only healed enough to insure his survival. Taking him as a host body might very well be impossible now." Feeling the building rage, Kabuto decided another person should get some of the 'fun' or Orochimaru's anger. "Unfortunately, Naruto-kun was not very gentle when handling his former friend." As expected, all motion from his master ceased.

Pinning the now smiling subordinate with a massive glare, the elder ninja growled out, "Give me a full report, Kabuto. I need to know what I am working with."

Straightening himself out, Kabuto began. The details of Naruto's restraining seals, Tsunade's decrees, the movements within the clans; all was outlined clearly and explicitly. Watching his now silent master, the spy began to get nervous; Orochimaru-sama was shaking. If he didn't know any better, he'd almost think that he was...

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Thus Kabuto was treated to the first ever Orochimaru belly laugh.

Wiping a tear away, Orochimaru sighed in contentment; he had needed that! This had to be the most unrealistically idealized method of pissing on Konoha he had ever heard! As expected from one with Tsunade's will. Oh the places he could go with this...

"Now then Kabuto, it appears that we have plans to make. Suddenly, Tsunade is out in the open along with the Kyuubi-brat. That opens up some interesting opportunities for our cause."

Straightening his glasses, Kabuto smirked, "Do you wish to put out a Kill on Sight order?"

Surprisingly, the Snake Sanin shook his head. "Our organization has taken some serious damage recently. With the loss of the Sound Five, and the battles to determine the identity of my new host, we are significantly underpowered. Any major action against that group would damage our already depleted forces, and I will need some time to adjust before trying to attack Tsunade. In addition, if Naruto-kun is killed on my order, Akatsuki will probably launch a retaliatory strike against us. That cannot happen at the moment."

Leaning back in contemplation, he smiled under his bandages, "That does not mean, however, that we cannot make life more difficult for them. Offering a bounty on a Hokage-level ninja or Jinchuuriki is one thing. However, no mater what she does or tries to be, Tsunade is too soft hearted. Therefore, we will put a bounty out on ninja healers and healing techniques. No matter WHAT disguises Tsunade uses, this will flush out some scum to attack her. Someone might get lucky and kill one of them, but that's not the point."

Seeing the picture that his master was painting, Kabuto smiled, "Since they will be constantly targeted by foreign powers, the group should try to keep a low profile. However, if they have to run every time they use a healing technique in public, Tsunade will lack a base of operations. If Naruto-kun's supposed reactions to the suppressor seals are accurate, that lack of down time will significantly hinder their efforts at rehabilitation. Plus, it will highlight any new and powerful healers when they enter an area, making the group more easily identified. Thus, the likelihood of Naruto-kun or one of his allies dying at the hands of a foreign power increases with each passing day."

Rubbing his hands together, Orochimaru let out a pleased hiss, "Yes...and none of this can truly be blamed upon us. The idiot who attacks Naruto-kun will be targeted by Akatsuki, but by then their major plans will be undermined. Without the Kyuubi, Akatsuki's efforts will be weakened, making them less of a threat in the future. Once I regain my strength, the power balance will shift significantly in our favor. Either way, Konoha will also be out a Jinchuuriki and probably a Hokage, making a second attack more likely to succeed; something to consider for the future at least."

Standing, Orochimaru prepared to retire for the evening, devious ideas brewing in his new and dangerous mind, "Kabuto, begin letting our agents know of the new bounties being offered. In addition, use your knowledge of Konoha to begin calculations of possible choices for their little breeding program. If I cannot have Sasuke, I might have to settle for genetic material for experimentation. Some abduction's might be in order. However, it would please me greatly to retrieve Sasuke for myself. As Kimimaro has shown us, even a broken tool can have its uses."

Bowing, the now relaxed Sound Spy Master smirked, "As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."

-----

Tsunade prevented herself from shifting nervously; she was a Sannin and medical genius, not some nervous school girl!

The attendant from earlier had approached at sunset, providing a set of clean, simple robes. Some would see this as a generous and friendly gesture, but in all frankness it was another security measure. Unfamiliar clothes prevented a majority of familiar hidden weapons from being utilized properly; especially with the time limits being provided. Of course, when you could tear castles down with your bare fists, this concern was a little silly.

Entering the smaller room, Tsunade smiled at the simple yet healthy spread. The Land of Vegetables rarely raised livestock, and that was mostly limited to small groups of chickens. The meal before her was thus vegetarian, filled with numerous local specialties. It might seem simple and plain to others, but she recognized this sort of arrangement. The Daimyo only shared local cuisine with those who he felt close to. Normally, strange foreigners were treated with attempts at their own cuisine to put them at ease. The Land of Vegetables might be small, but their traditions were simple and heartfelt.

It was almost like coming home.

The bottle of high quality sake didn't hurt either.

Smiling at his old friend, the Daimyo gestured to his attendant, "We shall eat alone tonight."  
Stiffening in unspoken protest, the older ninja faded into the background.

Sensing the foreign chakra signal leave, Tsunade relaxed on a basic level. Despite her concerns and the treatment so far, one thing was clear; she had not lost her friend to politics just yet.

Making light conversation, the two began their meal. Each dish was of high quality and, despite the lack of meat and certain spices, held a comfort all of its own. Memories and stories were shared, from their first meeting to Shizune's lack of a love life. For a few, isolated moments, the two of them were not rulers but old friends sharing a pleasant dinner. However, as the moon rose in the sky, they opened the sake bottle and got down to business. Friendship was all well and good, but both were leaders, and knew when things needed to be spelled out.

Taking a sip, the Daimyo began, "You have garnered quite the reputation over the years, Tsunade-sama. I'm glad that you're less prone to changing the countryside with your fists, but still the gambling habit is a little infamous. Getting a nickname like 'The Legendary Sucker' simply has the wrong connotations for a noble woman such as yourself."

Chasing her own cup, Tsunade sighed, "I admit, Daimyo-san, I may like to gamble a bit much. Plus, if I ever discover the individual who coined that stupid nickname, he or she will receive the fullness of my rage."

Rolling his eyes, the Daimyo sighed, "Again with this 'Daimyo-san' inflection; I have a proper name you know, one which you are free to use in private."

Smirking Tsunade poured some more brew into their cups, "But Daimyo-san, far be it from me to insult one of such position as yourself. After all, I am just a 'lowly and stubborn' ninja maiden, am I not?"

Frowning at her mirth, he sighed, "Still not letting that incident go, are you?"

Smirking, Tsunade gazed at the moon in appreciation, "Oh, let me have my fun; besides, these days I focus towards the future more than the past. It is less painful and more optimistic than I remember it being."

Joining her in the lunar appreciation, the Daimyo frowned slightly, "Yes, I think that a discussion of current events is necessary, Hokage-sama."

Tensing at the tone, Tsunade had the grace to look somewhat sheepish, "I suppose so, Daimyo-sama."

The story was long and complex, but this was no simple man. He had been raised as a leader for decades, grasping the political implications and methodologies fairly quickly. The Daimyo knew that she held things back, and while he was saddened by the necessity, he understood. Besides, the picture that Tsunade painted was enough to occupy his mind as it was. By the end of the tale, the Sake was nearly gone but he was cold stone sober.

"You are playing a dangerous game, Tsunade. While the Advisor's Council needs to be restrained somewhat, the Fire Daimyo can make life very difficult for you and your people. Was there no better way to make your statement? This could blow up in your face with little effort."

Looking at her empty sake glass, the blonde medic sighed, "Daimyo-san, when I took the title of Hokage there was a secret reason I accepted the post. As rude, clumsy and silly as he might be at times, I hoped to hand the position over to Naruto when he was trained up a bit. Then I discover this great kid, who only tried to help his people and protect those precious to him, was hurt so badly by those who should have been there for him. This was not only an attack against my authority; it was an attack against someone I would hope to have as a son if things had gone differently with Dan. I was actually worried there that I might bring Konoha down to its knees in anger. I had to get away, if only to spare them my direct wrath and Jiraiya will keep the place running in the meantime."

Shocked by the sincerity of her words, the Daimyo smiled, "You've changed, Tsunade-sama. I remember it like yesterday; an angry blonde medic running into my valley a mere three years after my appointment. You started screaming for special local herbs to treat Shizune for a mild virus she picked up when helping you heal a small village for pocket money. You refused to listen to reason, fought anyone who stood in your way, and ignored all protests when locating the needed medicines. However, even when protecting someone you loved you could be so cold to others. Now I see someone who would fight and protect because it is the right thing to do. This Naruto character must be someone very special to encourage such feelings."

Rising to his feet, he offered the young looking woman his hand, "While the Land of Vegetables might be small and weak, we do not forget our friends. I doubt that anyone will connect you with us anyways. You may continue to use your current residence for the next few weeks until your group decides to leave. All I ask is not to bring attention to yourself as best as you can."

Accepting his hand up, it was all Tsunade could do not to jump in joy; she had done it! They had sanctuary!

Smirking, the Daimyo cleared his throat, "As to payment...well no one has seen the Crone of the Seed in far too long."

Seeing the mighty Slug Sannin's face fall like a three year old child's at his pronouncement, the Leader of Vegetable Country could not help but laugh out loud.

-----

The cave was damp and unremarkable; a simple blip of geography that no one cared to explore. It was dark, vast and completely underground; stalactites and stalagmites silently chomping the empty air. In fact there was only one somewhat unique aspect to this cave, despite its natural appearance. This cave was covered in discrete seals that could be used as a focal point in emergencies. Thus, the perfect meeting place for Akatsuki to send their shades.

Nine solitary shadows formed from the darkness, eyes focused and wary. They did not often meet like this, and nothing good ever came of it. Each had their own secrets and abilities that could shatter countries. Yet, they were silent, waiting for their leaders leave. Finally, piercing Rinnegan eyes focused upon the shade of their master spy, "Zetsu, report you observations." Smiling, the halves of Zetsu began their description of the battle at the Valley of the End, causing the higher-strung members to chuckle nervously. However, the follow up report about rumors of secondary seals and possible removed limiters were more concerning for their plans.

Smirking, Kisame grinned, "So poor little Orochimaru doesn't get the Sharingan; how sad for him, eh Itachi?" Witholding comment, the last free Uchiha of Konoha simply pinned him with a look. This defeat lowered his opinion of Sasuke even more than their confrontation over the Kyuubi brat. Perhaps saving his life was simply not worth it.

Turning to the leader, Sasori grumbled, "Should we accelerate out collection schedule? If the Kyuubi vessel is simply wandering with such a limited escort, now is a perfect time to strike."

Shaking his head, Pain calmly rebutted, "At the moment, our ability to seal the Kyuubi effectively is slightly limited. With the strain that the statue has taken from recent sealing's, coupled with redesigning the technique to not require Orochimaru's ring, it is unlikely that normal containment is possible. Our best bet is to wait, sealing lesser beasts into the matrix to support the extraction at a later date. Three years should be long enough to accomplish that. In the meantime, the goal of Akatsuki will be concentrated upon building our monetary stockpile. If we do not have a large enough cash reserve, under pricing the great ninja villages might not be possible. Therefore, financially our organization needs more capital in order to implement the master plan.

Turning a translucent head towards the missing Grass ninja, Pain issued his orders calmly and with precision, "Zetsu, you are now tasked with tracking the Kyuubi. I am somewhat concerned with how these rumored limiter seals effected the beasts prison. We shall track his movements and efforts and only intervene if necessary. The rest of you are expected to gather the heads on your respective bounty lists, and transfer the funds through Kakuzu's broker. That is all for now; return to your tasks."

One by one, the shades began to disperse, until only Itachi was left standing. Glancing around the cavern, he slumped with an inaudible sigh.

_Foolish little brother; now who will end my torment?_

-----

Although it was late, no one really felt like sleeping just yet.

Hinata tried to interest Naruto in some studying to distract them, but their rate of progression had outstripped the available reading material. Although she felt less prone to fainting spells after the last few days, the shy Hyuga was not confident enough try lectures or running scenarios like Kurenai-sensei did in their training. So the two young ninjas sat together in awkward silence, trying to find something to say. Shizune fed Tonton, running through possibilities in her head. A lifetime of running around the continent had given her near perfect recognition of possible hideaways and limited friendly territories. So if things didn't work out here, they WOULD have a backup plan.

However, when Tsunade came through the door with a smile on her face, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Swaying slightly, the Hokage held up her thumb in success, "We have sanctuary! For the next few weeks, this will be our home and base of operations. While here, I plan on putting you two through the wringer, so you'd better get ready!"

Answering smiles of relief, hyper and shy respectively, met her declaration.

Leaning back, Shizune sighed in relief, "It is truly lucky that the Daimyo like's you so much. Imagine, allowing a foreign leader sanctuary simply as a favor!"

Twitching while removing her sandals, Tsunade tried to act nonchalant; however, Shizune had known her for too long for that tactic to work.

Narrowing her eyes, Shizune stood abruptly, "This IS a simple favor, isn't it Tsunade-sama?"

While the Slug Sannin was known for her alcohol tollerance, the drunken blush and sheepish expression almost belonged appeared to belong upon a henged Naruto. Scratching her head in embarrassment, she replied "Err.. not exactly. He did ask for a couple of minor concessions."

Shivering at the tone, Shizune asked fearfully, "What did you promise THIS time?!"

Looking between the two medics, Naruto and Hinata showed every fiber of their true potential and kept their traps shut.

Waving off her first disciple s concerns, Tsunade forced a smile, "Now, now Shizune, it's really not that bad. Firstly, we have to stay here and avoid attracting attention. He's willing to protect us, but doesn't want to gain the wrong kind of notice. Honestly, it's mostly what we were going to do anyways."

Knowing her mistress better than that, Shizune pinned the blonde with a glare, "What else did you agree to?"

Looking down, Tsunade grumbled, "The Daimyo wants the Crone of the Seed to make an appearance; says that she's been gone for too long."

Looking at the pouting face of Tsunade, Shizune tried to hold it in, but could find the will.  
"Bwahahahahahaha! Oh, the Crone of the Seed! That brings me back!"

Glazing at the laughing brunette, Tsunade snapped, "Just for that, we're trading-off the cloak!"

Scratching his head in confusion, Naruto finally burst out, "What the hell are you two talking about!?"

Looking sheepish, Tsunade sighed, "Well, Naruto it's like this..."

-----

Looking down upon his village, the Raikage pondered the latest Intel from Konoha. Tsunade of the Sannin and Fifth Hokage had left the village to treat a ninja personally, along with her apprentices. However, the blonde bimbo leaving Konoha was nowhere near as interesting as the identity of her newest apprentice; Hyuga Hinata. She was the eldest child of the Main Branch Hyuga, and thus the only unsealed member of the bloodline currently freelance. This could either become a grand opportunity, or blow up in their faces.

Kumo had long searched for a kekkei genkai clan for their own use. Despite their excellent sword traditions and intentional adaptation of Jinchuuriki, the acquisition of such a resource was seen as a necessary step on the road to further greatness. However, with the Kiri purges and the lowered fertility rates they favored, unaffiliated kekkei genkai were extremely hard to acquire. Thus, being the pragmatic sorts that they were, the Kumo ninja decided to obtain a currently affiliated kekkei genkai for their own use. The Byakugan was considered the most powerful and reliable among possible known candidates, so the abduction mission had been carried out. In the end, that had been an unmitigated disaster.

In the end, all Kumo had gained from the whole attempt was a useless corpse, significant international hostility, and the perpetual hatred of the Hyuga branch house. Perhaps if they had approached a sealed member for defection and safety as opposed to stealing a highly placed heiress, things would have gone smoother. As it stood, Kumo had only avoided war out of the softhearted nature of the Third Hokage and the weakened position Konoha was recovering from after the Kyuubi incident. However, here was a second chance, just wandering around the Fire Country without backup. Honestly, what was one sannin to two Jinchuuriki?

Turning to his assembled Jonin forces, freshly briefed upon the situation, the muscular man quirked an eyebrow, "Tell me, who here thinks that a Hyuga hunt is in order?"

The chorus of cheers and shouts were music to his ears.

"Raikage-sama? I don't think that would be a good idea."

Piercing the shapely blonde with a look, he ground out, "Why not Samui? What possible reason is there not to gain the power of the Byakugan, that is right there in the open?!"

Head held high, the Jonin did not even flinch at the tone; after Killer Bee's rapping, this was nothing. "Raikage-sama, with all due respect, the Hyuga is under Tsunade's protection. Even if Yugito or Sensei were able to defeat her, the resulting battle would alert Konoha with little trouble. In addition, we have insufficient information on the patient that they are treating; he has to be something special if he warrant's the personal attention of the Hokage. For all we know, Konoha might be on the verge of gaining a newly emerging kekkei genkai."

Smiling at the firm tone, the Raikage sighed; if only he had a hundred like Samui. Then Kumo would not need some simple accidents of birth to feel strong. "Excellent points, Samui; although you forgot Jiraiya's reaction if we invaded his sovereign borders. Honestly? I don't think that one little girl is worth starting a war over, again. Do you?" Looking down, the previously cheering forces looked abashed; they had again failed one of their leader's tests of character. That got old after a while.

Leaning back, he hummed; while these were excellent points as to why extraction was currently a bad idea, it never paid to seem weak to the troops. Look at what the old monkey had gone through over the last few years with his Advisor's Council; what foolishness. "Alright, I will issue a 'wait-and-see' order in the meantime. Any Kumo Jonin is authorized to evaluate the condition of Tsunade's group, and extract if at all possible. This is strictly black-bag though; NO one can link this to us again. Now get out of my sight."

In a gust of wind, the Raikage was left alone with his secretary and Samui. Smiling at one of the most promising of his troops, he gave his secondary orders, "Check on my brother and inform him of the situation. I might want him to take you, Karui and Omoi to finish that old hag if this is a trick. Although, I think that you brought up a very good point. If the patient does have an emerging kekkei genkai, it might be a good idea to take him as well as the Hyuga. After all, if no one has seen it before, it must be ours, ne?"

Saluting, the busty Jonin left to carry out her orders.

-----

Eye brow twitching, the bulky form of the Tsuchikage glared at his advisors, "You want me to go to war without cause or motivation, just because that Konoha bitch is out of the village for a bit?! Are you insane!? We are still recovering from the last ninja war, and can barely match their forces! Let them tear themselves apart with internal strife for a while; Iwa will retain our current stance of neutrality!"

Seeing their mulish stances, the leader of Iwa sighed, before grabbing their necks. Stuffing exploding clay down their throats, the two senior Jonin were thrown from the tower. Flying towards to the border of the village, they had a mere moment to contemplate their stupidity before becoming fireworks.

Settling down in his chair, the Tsuchikage sighed; now he needed ANOTHER set of advisors. That was the fifth pair this month!

-----

In the long and sorted past of Tsunade, certain things were often discussed and laughed about behind closed doors. The horrible luck, the chronic drinking problems, constantly fleeing creditors, her vanity at maintaining a permanent henge; all were publicized flaws that dogged the Slug Sannin at every turn. As proud as Konoha was of her medical accomplishments and massive strength, they couldn't help but poke fun at these flaws like everyone else. At least, as long as she was out of ear shot.

However, for such a legendary figure, most had no idea about Tsunade the person. Things like her favorite food or horrible karaoke voice did not get discussed with same fervor. Details like that were never as interesting as the general rumors, so even the general ninja population refused to see underneath the underneath when confronted with them. Therefore, when asked about how Tsunade had escaped detection for so long, most would simply suggest a simple henge and forget about it. The truth on the other hand, was significantly more complex.

Coughing into her hand, Shizune sighed at her mistresses sudden awkward silence, "You see, Naruto, the Crone of the Seed was a disguise that Tsunade-sama used to help me learn medical techniques."

Cocking his head to the side, Naruto looked at her in confusion, "How the heck is a disguise used to teach healing stuff?"

Making herself comfortable Tsunade continued in resignation, "Naruto, I DID train Shizune while we were traveling. However, due to certain circumstances (i.e., money lenders trying to track them down) we often couldn't stick around looking like ourselves. So, while we were staying in the Land of Vegetables, I created the disguise of the Crone of the Seed; a mystic healer who would help the common man. Shizune posed as my bumbling apprentice, gaining hands-on experience with patients as we went along."

Smirking, Shizune sighed fondly, "We actually did that a lot in the early days; whenever we needed some money or a place to stay, we'd create some sort of healer persona and hide in plain sight. I think that there are maybe twenty Crones' or various medicine people that locals across the elemental nations still talk about who were really us. But the Crone of the Seed was the first time we tried it, and things didn't quite go as planned." Seeing the confused looks, Shizune clarified, "We made her TOO good; the Crone of the Seed has a mystical reputation around here now as being able to cure the worst ailments. It was the biggest tactical error that Tsunade ever made undercover. We had to flee quickly, before forces from Konoha came to investigate a mysterious woman who knew their most secret ninja healing arts."

Snorting, Tsunade pouted, "I think that Sarutobi-sensei actually knew it was me; he just wanted to get me back to the village against my wishes."

Ignoring the sulking Sannin, Shizune sighed, "Honestly, it's still a good disguise. We're just going to have to be careful not to appear too good at our jobs. No sudden revival of the dead and whatnot. Tsunade just doesn't like the fact that the disguise makes her look old instead of twenty."

Grinning, Naruto blurted out, "Finally! You're going to be honest about your age, Baa-chan! It's about time."

Suddenly feeling like death warmed over, he looked upon the monstrous image of Tsunade and wondered if that comment might not have been a tactical error on his part.

-----

Growling in frustration, the Kyuubi slammed its claws into the cage once again; what had that little meat puppet done!? A few days before, its chakra had flowed freely, weakening its containment with every breath this foolish child had taken. Now though, after some sort of odd surge, things were completely different!

Looking around the once damp tunnel, it was all the millennia-old creature could do not to cry. Puddles of residue and corruption from its presence had been burned away, leaving a clean and unblemished hallway. The thin and simple paper of the seal had sunken into the cage door, reinforcing the whole thing by an order of magnitude. Each bar was now lined with bluish chains that cast an additional barrier against its influence, and every attempt to overpower them with its power resulted in a backlash and loss of energy. If the seal had been irritating before, these additions made the situation twenty times worse!

But above all else, the lassitude was the most dangerous. Every day, it was all the demonic fox could do not to return to its sleep! Instinctively, it knew that sleeping now would insure that it never woke up. This parasitic monkey would drain its power for years without notice, until it ceased to exist. That was NOT how THIS demon was going out!

Drawing into itself, the Kyuubi focused on its own mind. If it was awake, the chances of possible escape and revenge were much higher that its chances knocked out again. However, being alive for centuries gave you a rather pragmatic view of the harsh realities of existence. It would wait for the opportune moment, and when that happened...it would flood the corridor and hopefully kill that brat!

If it couldn't use its power, than NO ONE ELSE WOULD!

-----

Author's Notes

Sorry for the delay, I had to help out some friends this week and got distracted.

Ok, so I know that there was no Konoha in this chapter; that was actually intentional on my part. All that's going on there right now are more of the same power plays seen previously. I thought that I would give them some time to catch up and do something more interesting. I DO plan on discussing the Clans reactions to the Uchiha issue in the next chapter, though, and I am sure you are all eagerly awaiting the trial of the Yamanaka. I assure you, Inoichi had a plan, and Ino is actually a key part of it.

Now then, I again send out a big thank you to all of the reviewers. The response to the last chapter was explosive. I know that this is not as interesting, but I needed to set the stage for future events. Oh, and for those who are pissed...no Tsunade and the Daimyo are NOT romantically involved. Each is simply in a stressful position of power, and has few others that they can relate to. They missed each other, but only as friends; neither of them really have enough of those to discount their value.

You know? In all the fan fictions and stories I have seen, they never seem to go into HOW Shizune became a medical ninja. The training could not simply have been from books, but if Tsunade started treating people out in the open, many interested parties would have attacked. So I created the Crone persona to explain that discrepancy. No one can claim that Shizune is anything less than an excellent medical ninja, but she had to start somewhere.

Also, the poll is going strongly. Surprisingly, its neck and neck at the moment. So if you haven't voted yet, please do so :)

Before I end the chapter, I wish to make one small announcement. Seeing that there are going to be several events in Konoha that will be important, but too time consuming to include in standard chapters, I am going to start a spinoff series of one-shots. They will be helpful in understanding the main story, but will only deal with major events that cannot be expanded upon in the main line. This won't happen for a little bit, but keep an eye out please.

Thanks again for reading, and get ready; things are only (hopefully) going to get crazier!


	8. The Paths to Greatness, the Roads to

No I don't own Naruto. You won't tell anyone I'm borrowing him, right?

Chapter Eight: The Paths to Greatness, the Roads to Ruin

Sakura collapsed, breathing in short gasps; this is what Kakashi should have shown her already?!? What the hell?!

After being under Kurenai-sensei for about a week, the pink-haired kunoichi was nearly at her breaking point. A fact that Sakura found she wasn't very proud of. The training was a constant stream of laps, tree-climbing, taijutsu forms, dodging practice, and full contact sparing. Apparently she was so far behind Hinata in all regards, that Team Eight couldn't even be trusted with D-rank missions at the moment. If she was too tired to move, Kurenai-sensei would sit both her and Shino down to go over various mental exercises. The memorization of information was rather easy, but the way that Kurenai-sensei forced them to use it was a new experience. Test cases, simulations and battle plans had to be drawn up within minutes, examined and torn apart for flaws. By the end of each day, it was all Sakura could do to drag herself home.

It was humiliating; this was the part of the team dynamic that Sasuke and even Naruto had always taken care of. Sasuke had a good balance of knowledge and physical power, while Naruto had endless stamina and bursts of creativity. Finding that she had allowed them to cover her own flaws for so long left a bitter taste in young kunoichi's mouth. She HAD to move beyond their shadows! Getting to her feet, Sakura grabbed a leaf and after placing it on her forehead, proceeded to climb again. Tsunade-sama's rejection made so much more sense now; but she would become a proud ninija, and get strong for her own merits! Not because she loved...

**_Cha! We'll show them all! Haruno Sakura will be no person's doormat!_**

Observing her new student, Kurenai leaned against a tree in thought. Molding Sakura into a proper kunoichi had appeared to be very difficult at first. While she had some major intelligence hidden away in that mind, Sakura had gotten into the habit of allowing others to lead her. Thus, her practical and adaptive abilities had somewhat atrophied. Also, after hearing about what exactly Kakashi had been teaching his Genin squad, she had decided to take anything she had heard before about their abilities with a grain of salt. If not for a comment from Anko, the red-eyed Jonin might have felt hopeless about the situation.

_"I'm telling you Kurenai, the kid shattered a four foot wide tree trunk on instinct! Honestly? It looked like a bastardized version of Tsunade-sama's strength technique. Either her muscles are REALLY compact, or the girl has great potential in chakra control. The little twit might not be a lost cause after all."_

Remembering the state that Sakura had entered Ichiraku's after her 'talk' with the Snake Jonin, Kurenai decided to take that comment with a grain of salt as well.

However, after a week of tests, she had begun to think that maybe the girl would make it. The biggest thing holding her back before was her attitude. The confrontation with Sasuke, combined with the chat with Anko, had the Genin showing her true potential - when focused. Her physical abilities were still atrocious and her taijutsu was just weak; but the important thing was Sakura's signs of real improvement. If she had undergone this sort of training from the beginning, Ino might not have lasted during the Chunin Exams.

Unfortunately, they were running out of time to get her into shape. Sakura HAD to prove she was capable before the team reformed or they would have major trouble functioning, let alone advancing. More importantly, there were her new teammates to consider. Shino had been logically accepting about the chain of events, more or less, just like any good Aburame. But Kiba was going to be rejoining the team in another few weeks, and was still angry about Hinata's reassignment. Unless the Jonin was careful, the Inuzuka might take his frustration out on their new female teammate, damaging the Team Eight dynamic irreparably. Therefore, if she had to put Sakura through hell to prevent this, Kurenai would do so with a smile on her lips.

However, a burn out was not going to help anyone.

"Alright, Sakura that's enough."

Seeing the pink haired girl collapse into a puddle, Kurenai winced. Walking over to the child, the sensei shook her student on the shoulder, "Now, now Sakura that was a clear improvement. I'll tell you what; stretch out, go home and eat, take a long shower and come back here day after tomorrow. I think you have earned a break, ne?" Too tired to talk, Sakura ran through the cool down automatically, before bowing and heading for home. There was a salad and hot water with her name on it!

Watching her go, Kurenai did not bother to turn around, "So Shino, what do you think?"

Stepping out from behind a tree, the bug using ninja gave the impression of a frown. "Although her control is excellent, Sakura is not currently a logical choice for Team Eight in terms of our primary function. Her stamina, strength and speed would make her a hindrance for our scouting missions, and her fighting technique is pedestrian. While her rate of improvement is notable, getting her up to speed will be time consuming; a fact that will most likely anger Kiba upon his recovery. Either our function will have to change, or she will have to demonstrate more specialized ability in order to be useful."

Sighing at the cold and precise attack upon their new member, Kurenai shrugged, "We won't be taking major missions for a while, regardless. I'll get her into better shape, but just remember that Sakura is not Hinata. She will progress at her own rate of speed, and develop skills that suit her style. We will just have to see how that goes and proceed from there, alright?"

Giving a resigned nod, Shino proceeded to return home. The Sound attack had damaged some of the Aburame's equipment, and he was needed to aid in the repairs. Shaking her head in mild frustration, Kurenai decided to see if Asuma was available.

After today, she could really use a drink.

-----

The first day of training started off so innocently, it was criminal.

Shizune met with her two fellow apprentices at daybreak, smiling as she explained that Tsunade-sama was handling her cover as the Crone of the Seed. Therefore, they would be working under her for most of the morning. Remembering how crazy Tsunade-baa-chan had been so far, Naruto took this moment to relax a bit. Shizune-nee-chan was so nice, that anything that she put them through couldn't be THAT bad. He and Hinata-chan could take on anything she came up with, you got that?! Unfortunately for the two Chunin, that fit the phrase 'Famous Last Words.' Apparently, once you've been a Slug Sannin's loyal apprentice for over a decade, you pick up some of her sadism.

Shizune had them run through physical exercise after exercise; push-ups, jumping jacks, squats, running in place, and running laps around the clearing. This treatment continued for three hours, leaving even the energetic Naruto drained and wiped out. Every time that he stumbled or tripped, Shizune had him start from the beginning of the exercise or set, forcing his muscles into greater coordination. But after the warm up, Shizune noticed Hinata's exhaustion and decided to play dirty. Flustering kids was so much fun!

"Hinata, we are going for another two hours; if you keep the jacket on, you'll die of heat stroke. Lose it, stretch out, and get ready to continue."

Too tired to care about modesty, Hinata shucked the jacket and tried to stretch out. Luckily, this left Shizune in the perfect position to see Naruto s reaction.

The young ninja's eyes seemed to triple in dimension as he was treated to the sight of Hyuga Hinata, the most physically developed kunoichi of their generation stretching - in form fitting, sweat-dampened clothes. Apparently getting his second wind, Naruto seemed completely focused for the rest of the session. Shizune might have been confused by the reaction, if she hadn't heard about Sakura's mood swings. Clearly, Naruto was worried that he would pass out from a nose bleed and get beaten up by a group of angry kunoichi. Given his present company, that actually demonstrated a reasonable level of survival instinct. Tsunade-sama's anger the previous night had been truly terrifying, which could only enforce this sort of behavior.

Having worked them into the ground, Shizune prepared a simple lunch, allowing the two Chunin to cool off. After they had eaten, she began to outline the academic requirements for their apprenticeships. Each was expected to know basic first aid, name the major organ groups and their individual components, and the identity and position of each hand bone by the end of the week. However, studying would be done between their other training and in the evenings before dinner. Most of the initial lessons would be physical and advanced chakra control. That was what Tsunade planned on working with them on.

Cocking her head to the side, Shizune frowned as she continued, "Although, Naruto-kun, in your case it will be more along the lines of relearning chakra control. Once Tsunade-sama returns this afternoon, there are a few tests that we can run which will give us a greater understanding of what specifically you need to work on."

Rummaging through her pack, Shizune handed Hinata a scroll on the organs, while Naruto got a basic text of first aid maneuvers. Hunkering down with her own text, Shizune smiled as both students began to study immediately. However, within a few minutes Naruto was closing the text in surprise. "Arg! What the heck is this?!" Looking up in shock, Hinata closed her own scroll in confusion. "What is it N..Naruto-kun?" Gulping, the blonde Chunin threw the scroll at her, like it was on fire. Opening it, Hinata was treated to the sight of a basic manual resuscitation technique, used to conserve chakra whenever possible. Of course, it included diagrams of the practitioner compressing the patient's chest, and breathing into their mouth. Although if you didn't actually read the description, it might be mistaken for kissing...

"Hinata-chan? Oh man, stay with me Hinata-chan! Shizune-nee-chan! Your study guide knocked her out again!"

-----

Walking towards the Yamanaka residence, Sakura had a smile on her face and a spring in her step. Finally, a day with no training! She might want to get stronger, but only the obsessed or the brainless could go for months on end without a break. Today, she would act like a normal girl, meet with Ino, and even go shopping! With all of the additional work she had been doing, Sakura was completely out of touch. Therefore, she was looking forward to hanging out with her old rival and gossiping like a school girl again. Maybe she could even ask the blonde's opinion about what the red chakra might be! Truly, it was a day of grand possibilities!

However, as a trained kunoichi, it was not hard to feel the aura of gloom surrounding the Yamanaka house when she got there. Something big had must have happened. Feeling a cold lump settle in her stomach, Sakura knocked on the door hesitantly. Even with all the bad vibes surrounding the house, she had to at least see if Ino was alright. When Mrs. Yamanaka opened the door, the combination of anger and depression on her face were mildly alarming. Luckly, her features seemed to soften upon realizing the identity of the caller. "Sakura-chan, it's been so long. How can I help you today?"

Straightening out her shoulders, Sakura met her gaze squarely, "I was hoping to talk with Ino, is she in?" Wincing, the elder Yamanaka sighed, "Ino-chan's in, but she hasn't left her room for most of the week. She didn't take the family meeting very well." Blinking in confusion Sakura was about to ask what meeting she was talking about, but her train of thought was interrupted by the appearance of Ino's dad in the doorway. Despite his clear lack of sleep, the man was still a Jonin, and could be very intimidating when he chose to be. Reaching for his wife's shoulder to silence her, he looked into the young Genin's eyes. "Please, Sakura-chan, try talking with her? She won't listen to us, and we're getting very worried."

Gulping, Sakura entered the house, pausing to remove her sandals. The aura of gloom only intensified when she climbed the stairs, setting off alarms in her mind. Something bad had happened. What was wrong with Ino? Sakura couldn't help but ask herself if she was she going to lose someone else so soon?

Running the rest of the way to Ino's bedroom, Sakura could feel the intense sorrow emanating from behind the door. Knocking quickly she almost yelled, "Ino! Ino-pig! Are you there? Please, answer me!" Her own genius intellect, reawakened by Kurenai's rigorous training, kept coming up with reasons for the silence, each one worst than the last. Therefore, when the door cracked open after five minutes of frantic pounding, it was all she could do not to collapse in relief. Then she had a good look at her friend, and wanted to cry. What was going on?

Ino looked horrible! Her hair was a mess, her face was covered in tear tracks, and it looked like she hadn't taken a bath or shower in days! Her clothes obviously had not been changed, and the bandages across her arms and legs were turning slightly yellow. Ino would NEVER let herself look this bad, even if someone was dying. Whatever had happened had to be epic!

Pulling the girl back into the room, Sakura sat her on the bed. "Ino? Ino, talk to me?! What's wrong?"

Looking at her old friend with haunted eyes, Ino cracked out, "Am I a good person, Sakura? I mean, if I was a bad person, you'd tell me right?"

Confused, Sakura shrugged helplessly, "You might be annoying, but you're not a bad person, Ino. Now tell me what happened. Please?"

Sakura could barely hear the downcast Ino whisper, "I'm related to monsters..."

-----

About an hour after reviving Hinata, Tsunade rejoined them; careful to remove her disguise before appearing. Doing a quick scan to check their physical status, she nodded to herself, "You're both in good shape all things considered. Hinata, Shizune is going to help you with advanced water walking this afternoon. Naruto, you are going to come with me." Leading the young Chunin into another part of the flower field, Tsunade started going through a series of hand seals. Circling around Naruto, she formed three circles around her fellow blonde. Finishing the sequence, Tsunade shouted out, "Medical Chakra Measure Jutsu!" forming a series of yellowish barriers around her favorite blonde.

Wiping her forehead, she smiled, "Ok Naruto! This technique allows us to check the intensity and volume of your chakra. I want to get a feel for where your reserves are before we proceed. Simply channel some chakra, and the barriers will measure your current potential, ok?"

Apparently enthusiastic that he could start training in ninjutsu again, Naruto began to channel his power with a simple ram seal. Imagine his surprise when nothing happened.

Tapping her foot, Tsunade responded to his efforts with a single raised eyebrow. Blinking, Naruto began to focus with all of his might, trying to picture the chakra within him rising to the surface. Every ounce of his improved focus was put into finding his power. Tsunade stood there calmly, watching as his face appear more and more constipated. Buffing her nails, the Hokage sighed; she was afraid of this.

Finally, after nearly ten minutes, a flash of chakra boiled off of Naruto's skin. Although it was brief, all but the last barrier surrounding him was shattered. The remaining one, meanwhile, turned a deep purple while cracking. Exhausted, he collapsed on the ground, looking like he had run a marathon. Matching gazes with her fellow blonde, Tsunade would see the question simmering in his eyes. What the heck was going on?

Dispelling the remainder of the jutsu, Tsunade walked over to join her fellow blonde on the ground. "Well Naruto, I thought that might happen. Your recovery is going to take longer than I thought."

Groaning, Naruto fixed her with a look, clearly worried. "Baa-chan, what's wrong with my chakra? I've never had that much trouble controlling it before."

Closing her eyes in concentration, Tsunade started to explain, "Naruto, you know how chakra is the combination of both physical and mental energies, right?" Hearing his clothes rustle with a nod, she continued, "Each of the different seals placed on you limited both your physical and mental development rather severely. While those seals have been undone, they appear to have resulted in a massive destabilization between these two forces in you. Thus, you can't channel chakra effectively right now."

Opening her eyes, Tsunade sighed at the confusion in his expression, "Ok, how about this; imagine two glass pitchers, one filled with blue liquid and one filled with yellow liquid. The blue liquid represents your physical energy and the yellow liquid your mental energy. Are you with me so far?" Seeing his nod, she continued, "Now, to get chakra, you take the two pitchers, and pour them into a large glass bowl, representing your keirakukei or chakra pathways. Taking both hands, you lift the different pitchers and pour them into the bowl. The two liquids mix, forming a new green colored liquid which represents chakra. That's the simple version on how a person generates chakra, in order to power the various ninja techniques. The more even the mix, the better the quality of chakra and the easier your techniques are to execute."

Holding his chin as if in deep thought, Naruto's eyes lit up, "It's kind of like cooking then! If you add too much water or too much spice to a batch of ramen, it doesn't taste that good. Therefore, you need to be careful that the quality of the mix is just right for the perfect flavor!"

Sweat-dropping at the metaphor, Tsunade smiled nervously. "Right Naruto, exactly like that. Now here's the problem; when the limiting seals were removed, each pitcher and the glass bowl increased in size significantly, therefore they're heavier, and more difficult to move. Now, with your physical development normalizing, you can sort of lift the blue pitcher (although it's a bit unstable) and can pour it in no problem. However, you can't manage to lift the yellow jug at all; as a result you end up scooping out small ladlefuls of the yellow liquid. Then, you fling those tiny amounts at the stream of blue liquid entering the bowl. Thus, while you can channel chakra, it is VERY unbalanced." Seeing his down-turned face, she tried to encourage him a bit, "Don't worry, Naruto! I have some training that will help you develop you mental energy! Plus the small amount of chakra that you DID channel was extremely dense. I have never seen that level of potential in a person before, and once it's more under control, you will be a lot stronger!"

Sighing, Naruto looked at Tsunade with his gaze filled with uncharacteristic depression, "But, Baa-chan; you just said that I was too stupid to channel chakra. How am I supposed to get smarter? I'm not exactly the best with studying"

Frowning at this, Tsunade shook her head in denial, "I said no such thing! You have been showing excellent memorization and retention while we were traveling for the last few days. The thing that is important now it training your mind to APPLY knowledge rather that absorb it. Knowing the names of every country on the continent doesn't make you smarter. However, knowing how they relate to one another and applying that knowledge, does. So, until we can stabilize your mental development and focus, you will be going through some special training."

Squaring his shoulders, Naruto nodded firmly; his face an open book of previous trials already accomplished.

Smirking at the look of determination, Tsunade reached into her pack, "Tell me, Naruto; have you ever heard of a game called Chinese Checkers?"

-----

Looking down at her hands, Ino felt the story flow from her mouth. Tragically, the only thing keeping Sakura silent was the blonde's pleading gaze.

"After leaving the hospital a few days ago, Daddy and I went to the old Yamanaka meeting hall. There used to be a larger main house for the clan, but with all of the deaths during the Kyuubi attack, it was deemed too wasteful to maintain. The clan just cleans up the outside every two months with a Genin team and keeps it locked down most of the time. But there is this chamber down there designed for family gatherings where important matters are to be discussed. The clan isn't that large anymore, but every member was in there, waiting for us.

It was a FULL Clan Judgment; those are ONLY done for the worst kind of criminals or betrayals of the clan. As far as I know, there hasn't been one for nearly twenty years, and that was for mental assault of a civilian over the course of two months. The Yamanaka clan only makes judgments of this nature when the Hokage is unable to intercede due to politics or other complications. No one is brought before such a judgment without guilt already confirmed through the most stringent and effective means."

Squeezing Sakura's hand for comfort, Ino struggled to maintain her calm. She was a kunoichi, and couldn't let this overwhelm her anymore!

"But Sakura, it was my cousin Kenshin. He's been nice to me my entire life, always finding time to play with me and my younger relatives. He was the one who would sneak us treats at family gatherings, tell us stories, and protect us when we were napping. I couldn't believe that he was being charged in a Clan Judgment. It was so confusing, and I kept hoping that it was some kind of mistake. But it only got worse."

Taking a shuddering breath, the hurt Yamanaka forced herself to keep going. Each word was torture, but she refused to hide from what had happened. That would make her no better than them!

"He was...he was one of the people who sealed Naruto! He went up to Naruto after someone beat him up, and inscribed seals to limit his mind! Someone in my family, who I trusted since I was a kid, watched a little boy get assaulted for ten minutes for FUN! Then he and Uncle Jinzo, who used to bring me dolls before the Academy, went up to his bleeding form, took his blood, and scribbled into his wounds. The pain must have been excruciating! I've seen descriptions of those seals in my family training. The combination those two used would turn any normal person into a drooling moron. It's amazing that Naruto functioned as well as he did!

Daddy was really angry; he said that their actions were an affront to the clan and all it stood for. Such crimes had already cost Kenshin his ninja position, and a lot of his savings. Jinzo's involvement meant that the primary funds of the Yamanaka Clan had been hurt as well. Daddy wanted to make an example of Kenshin, to show that the family was not filled with those who enjoy assaulting or torturing children. Then...then..."

Rubbing her eyes, Ino looked at Sakura in despair, "Sakura, most of the family DEFENDED what they had done! A lot of them thought that Kenshin and Jinzo should be seen as heroes! Many were only angry that they couldn't have done more before an ANBU patrol had intervened. I had to sit there for nearly twenty minutes, while my family said Naruto didn't have the right to LIVE!"

Clearly agitated, Sakura tried rubbing the small of her friend's back, coaxing a small sigh of relief from the blonde. It was a trick Ino herself used to do when other kids would pick on the bookworm back in school. Luckily, it was still fairly effective. "Ino...what did you do next?"

Stiffening, Ino whispered, "I yelled at them; asked relatives that I had loved and adored for years why they were doing this? Did the Yamanaka family have a thing for children? Should I feel lucky that I never got into pranks, because it would make it open season on my brain? They were pissed, but Daddy wouldn't let them answer. Said that I made an excellent point, about how this could not happen again. He managed to get Kenshin punished, by sealing all of his knowledge and memories before removing them from his mind. He was just a mindless husk then, and would be set up with a private caregiver as an invalid. Afterwards they tried to justify themselves to me, explain that Naruto was no good and needed to be punished. It went on for HOURS..."

Sniffing, Ino pulled a shocked Sakura into a hug, "How can I face Naruto, Sakura? I might not have been close friends with him, but I never hated him. I feel so guilty now, like it's my fault that he was the 'dead-last' in the Academy. Plus, how can I trust I know right from wrong, after people I trusted to show me the difference acted like that?"

Sighing, Sakura tried to work out a reply to the nearly frantic girl. "Ino, you're not your family. The fact that you feel bad about the situation demonstrates that. All you are doing now is punishing yourself, and believe it or not, Naruto would not like that at all. He hates it when people suffer; so you are going to get a shower, get dressed, and come with me to eat. You cannot stay here for the rest of your life."

"But Sakura..."

Glaring, Sakura forced her friend to meet her eyes, "NOW, Ino. Besides, I think that we have some other things to talk about, and you look like a stiff wind could blow you over. I can't have my old rival in ninjutsu and love be seen out looking like this, now can I?"

Snorting despite herself, Ino headed into the bathroom to clean up.

-----

Nervous, Hinata joined Shizune by the edge of the lake near their temporary home.

Smiling at the shy girl, Shizune calmly explained the next exercise, "Now Hinata-chan, Kurenai said that you had mastered the water walking exercise, correct?" Giving a hesitant nod, the Hyuga was directed to the middle of the water. "Please demonstrate the technique for me." Calming her breath, Hinata channeled chakra to the soles of her feet, and proceeded to walk to the center of the lake. After observing her flow of chakra, Shizune clapped her hands together. "That's very good Hinata-chan; you have a real affinity for this exercise. When we test elemental chakra types, I'll bet you are a classic water user." Blushing under the praise, Hinata was careful to continue the constant flow of power to her feet.

Straightening her back, Shizune assumed a serious expression, "Now I think, is the best time to talk about the role of the medic. While Naruto is technically training as one too, his Shadow Clone Jutsu and heightened stamina give him more options when it comes to our philosophy." Beginning to pace, Shizune fixed Hinata in place with a look; the suddenness of the action nearly caused the poor girl to lose control of the exercise. "Hinata, the purpose of a medic is to protect his or her comrades. However, you cannot do that if injured or out of chakra, so much of your training will involve dodging, avoidance and deflection of attacks. You will learn to heal with your chakra, your mind, your supplies and your wits. The first objective of the medic is not to take out the enemy, but to heal your squad mates. Do you understand?"

Nodding rapidly, Hinata tried to make eye contact while maintaining her balance.

Appearing to cheer up, Shizune picked up a pebble, "Now then Hinata-chan, we're going to start the advanced water walking exercise. I am going to upset the water's surface by throwing these pebbles, which will create small waves. For the moment, I just want you to concentrate on staying afloat, ok?"

Gulping, Hinata responded, "H..Hai! Shizune-sempai!"

The technique was surprisingly hard; alternating the flow of chakra in response to practically hundreds of variations in the surface density while staying still was very taxing. Each splash varied in strength, timing and intensity, further complicating the sensation. Coupled with the workout from that morning, Hinata found herself feeling exhausted. However, Shizune refused to let up, and before they had realized it, nearly two hours had passed with no sign of stopping. All of the tension and stress began to build, making concentration that much harder; soon the little Hyuga was nursing a major headache from concentrating for so long. As a result, her focus began to slip, little by little, until she was on the surface only through instinct.

This turn of events, however, led to an interesting discovery.

Apparently pleased with Hinata's progress so far, Shizune reached for a larger stone to finish the training for the night. However, the deeper splashing noise startled the girl out of an exhausted daze, causing her to lash out in instinct with a Jyuken strike. Unfortunately, this disrupted her control, sending the exhausted girl to the bottom of the lake. Before submerging, Hinata couldn't help but notice that the wave of water that almost struck her was cut in two.

_When I concentrated chakra to my palm, it focused into a beam to slice the water. I wonder if could replicate that effect..._

Sighing ruefully, Shizune called out, "Ok, Hinata-chan, let's call it a day. You've got to dry off before Naruto sees you. We don't want the kid to die from blood loss."

Blushing to the roots of her hair, Hinata forgot about the odd phenomenon...for the moment.

-----

Sakura had always avoided Ichiraku Ramen like the plague.

First, it was to conserve her figure (no one liked overweight girls); then she didn't want Naruto or Sasuke to think her presence constituted a date with the dork. Also, looking at how Naruto survived on nothing BUT ramen all day every day made her somewhat queasy. However, the first time she had agreed to join her teammate there to discuss Sasuke's curse mark, Sakura had noticed the kind words and pleasant atmosphere of the stall. She had to admit the quality of the noodles and broth was exceptional, and very comforting. Therefore, after guiding her distraught friend from the house, they found themselves sitting at a familiar counter looking at the menu.

As silly as it sounded, Naruto was right about one thing; Ramen could actually make you feel better! It was an odd flash of brilliance, but something to consider for the future; comfort was rapidly becoming scarce in their respective circles.

Smiling at Ayame, Sakura ordered a small pork ramen while Ino asked for a seafood bowl. Nodding abruptly, the Ramen server turned to prepare the orders with barely a word. Nonplused a bit by the treatment, Sakura turned to Ino, "Alright, Ino, I think that we need to think a bit about what to do from here. First of all, will you get in trouble for talking about the Judgment with me?"

Shuddering at the memory, the normally overbearing princess sighed, "I shouldn't; those kinds of meetings are done to establish the clan's opinion on an event. While most of the members were not happy about the results, they should have been made known. Otherwise, the whole exercise would be a waste. I haven't left my room for days, though, so I have no idea about what people are saying." Nodding thoughtfully, Sakura began using her reawakened and sharpened intellect. "Maybe we should try to find out what rumors are spreading before you make any plans to repay Naruto. I know you feel guilty, but we don't have enough information about the situation. If people are all outraged about the decision, I think that we need to find out why. I'm getting tired of hearing about my teammate going through this shit, and not knowing the reason for it in the first place."

Narrowing her eyes, Ino clicked her teeth in annoyance, "You know? That's not a bad idea. Even when they were arguing with me about my defense, no one would spell out the flaws in the argument. I smell a secret, and it's really beginning to bug me. Maybe I can clear his name to make amends? It's a place to start at least."

Thankful that progress had been made, both girls looked up as their finished orders were set before them; perhaps with a little more force than normal. Snapping their chopsticks with a ritual call to eat, Sakura and Ino reached for the ramen; all of this plotting and scheming was making them hungry!

However, with the first bite, both kunoichi knew something was wrong; the flavors were the same and the proportions were fine. But some intangible element was missing from the normally savory dish. Seeing how Ayame was gripping her knife while cutting ingredients, Sakura gulped; if she didn't know any better, it was almost like the civilian was putting out killing intent! Maybe she had heard something that the two of them had missed during their respective distractions.

Clearing her throat, Sakura decided an interrogation was in order, "Ano, Ayame-san? Could we ask you a few questions?" Turning, the normally pleasant girl flashed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "I will see what I can do, Sakura-san, Yamanaka-san; but if things get busy, I cannot guarantee my continued presence." Eyebrow twitching, Ino was getting nervous; that level of formality from the normally relaxed server usually meant she was REALLY pissed off about something. What the heck had happened now?! "We've been trying to find out why people have been attacking Naruto..."

**CRACK**

Both girls sweat-dropped, seeing the cutting board nearly snap in two.

Forcing a neutral expression, Ayame gritted her teeth, "I would think that of anyone here, you would be aware of situations where Naruto-kun was attacked, Yamanaka-SAN; especially after giving your relative sanctuary for his crimes."

Looking at the ramen waitress in shock, Ino couldn't bring herself to answer. What the HELL was Ayame talking about? "Sanctuary? Ayame-san..."

Holding her hand up, Sakura squinted in irritation, "Ayame-san, I've been training with a new team for the last week and Ino hasn't left the house in days. What the heck are people saying happened to Yamanaka Kenshin?"

Blinking at the confusion in her voice, Ayame decided to ease up a bit; this whole week had been stressful enough without looking for trouble. "Word around the village is that, after reviewing Kenshin's accomplishments, the Yamanaka clan sent him into isolation to protect him from further retaliation from the Hokage's Office. There are people chatting about it all over town, celebrating that one of the great Yamanaka HEROES is safe."

Gapping, the two Genin realized something very wrong was going on here.

-----

Grumbling at the sixth game of Chinese checkers, it was all Naruto could do not to scream. This was humiliating! While Hinata-chan got to learn a new chakra control exercise, he was stuck playing board games. Sure it was fun, even if he hadn't managed a win yet, but still! How was he supposed to get better control over his chakra with a game!?

Noting the Chunin's mounting frustration, Tsunade called a break, reaching over for some water. Pouring the liquid, Tsunade handed him the cup with a smile. Incidentally, this particular scene or variations thereof had been a secret fantasy of Jiraiya for decades. However after sipping his drink after a subdued 'thank you', Naruto continued to stew in his own frustration; a state of affairs that the blonde Hokage would no longer allow or tolerate.

**BONK**

"Ow, Baa-chan!" Naruto grumbled, holding his head in pain. As far as Tsunade hits went, it was relatively mild. His vision would probably stop revolving in about twenty minutes or so. Snorting, Tsunade shook her head, "Oh relax, Naruto-kun. I know that this might seem boring, but this is only a warm up. After I think that you have mastered this, we'll start playing Go." Rubbing his forehead in frustration, Naruto finally lost control of his temper, "But Baa-chan! How is playing board games going to make using my chakra easier?!" Irritated with his attitude, Tsunade decided to bring out the big guns.

**sniff** "But Naruto-kun, don't you like playing with me?" A teary-eyed Sannin pouted, biting her thumb in faux-depression. Normally, Naruto would have called bullshit within seconds of such an act. However, still slightly off-balance from Hinata's display earlier, the hyperactive ninja found himself tongue-tied. Noting the reaction, she smirked; yeah, this girl still had it. Poor boy didn't know what to do with himself like this; it would have to be one part of his education that they didn't correct too quickly. Teasing the kid was just so much fun!

Sighing at the dumbstruck expression, Tsunade flicked his forehead. "Oh chill out Naruto, there is actually a fairly simple reason we're doing this. Your mind has a lot of untapped and untested potential, but we need to ease into using it. From what I hear, Shikamaru spends hours sharpening his mental ability with games of Shogi against Asuma; it's his form of meditation. Games like this might SEEM simple, but constantly practicing the tactical and focusing techniques required to master them will help develop you mental abilities. Stronger mental abilities will mean better focus when using your chakra control, and less waste when employing your power; understand?" Grumbling, Naruto moved a marble with a firm clicking noise. "Then why aren't we playing shogi?"

Countering his effort with her own, Tsunade calmly replied, "Shogi tactics don't reflect your way of fighting. Memorizing the specialized methods and techniques of specific pieces doesn't really fit your constant use of Shadow Clones. However, a game where every piece shares the same potential and only changes value based upon its position is much more suitable. The Chinese Checkers is simple a warm-up to get you used to the mentality. While you master it, I'm also going to have you meditate and attempt basic chakra control exercises by the end of the month. Right now though, you are still recovering somewhat, so pushing too hard won't gain us anything." Moving another marble, she had to suppress a smirk. He might be complaining a lot but each game was taking a bit longer to finish; if this kept up, she might have to increase the difficulty level a bit.

Palming his face in frustration, Naruto gave into the inevitable truth; he was NEVER going to get a sane, effective teacher in his lifetime.

Although, after he got used to it, playing games with someone you liked was a nice experience. This was probably the first time anyone had ever bothered to take this much time for him...

Shuddering at the unsettling thought, Naruto returned his full concentration to the board, deciding to make this game his first victory. It was an overly optimistic desire, he determined later, but a step in the right direction.

-----

Kiba settled back into bed after his latest checkup. Apparently, the stab wound had healed cleanly, and would be nothing but a memory in a few weeks. If all went well, he would be returning to active duty within the month. Despite the positive news, the dog ninja couldn't bring himself to celebrate that much. With Hinata gone, his pack and thus his family were incomplete. The only things keeping him at the hospital, instead of the training ground releasing some frustration, were the dual threats of further injury and an angry sister.

Hana had come in to check on Akamaru nearly twenty minutes after his physical had started, clearly pissed about something. The ninja dog medic's focus was completely taken up by the puppy s injuries, but her own triplet attack squad gave away a furious state of mind. Nervous twitching and pheromones assaulted Kiba's senses worst than the time his 'special' reading material had been discovered in the spring cleaning. The Inuzuka liked to think of themselves as a family first and a clan second, so worried about this state of affairs, the hard headed Genin attacked the problem with his normal focus and ability, "Hey sis, what's eating ya?" That is to say, a complete lack thereof.

Forcing herself to drop Akamaru's paw before causing injury, Hana threw a glare at her annoying little brother. Seeing the flinch, she forced herself to breathe; this actually wasn't Kiba's fault for once. "Sorry squirt, but the clan is pissing me off right now. This might be the last time you see for a bit; I'm petitioning the Hokage for some extra missions on the side to get out of the village." Blinking, Kiba had to keep from falling off the bed in shock; Hana hadn't taken missions regularly since attaining her Veterinary license! Why would she want to leave the village and her practice? They were her life! "Sis..."

Sighing in frustration, the elder Inuzuka stood up. "Fine, if you must know the clan has decided that we need to be a part of the Uchiha breeding program. But I refuse to be put out like a bitch in heat!" Blinking, Kiba stuttered, "Breeding program?!?" Hearing about how the village was going to preserve the Sharingan, the ninja dog Genin had to wonder if the mission success was worth it. "Just how many people are doing this crap!?"

Leaning back against the wall, Hana felt her hackles rise, "Not that many at all. The Hyuga are not interested in the least, saying that there are too many issues with compatibility. The Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, and Aburame are all citing a lack of appropriate candidates. The Kurama clan is hesitant to put their heir through the pregnancy in her current mental condition, and the last pure blooded Senju is out of the village. However, a lot of the Inuzuka think that the Sharingan would work wonders with our ninjutsu school, so mom's putting pressure on me to accept; as if my first child is going to be the spawn of a traitor." Gulping, Kiba tried to stay small and quiet; the first rule of the weaker animal is not to draw attention to oneself after all and the aura around his sis was SCARY.

Shaking her head, Hana forced a smile, "Things might be tense at home for a while Kiba. If I was you, I'd do as much training or missions that involved leaving the village as possible. You won't be up for a proper family tussle for a while. I'll check in with you when you're ready to get out of here, ok?" Ruffling his hair like a rambunctious pup, she left, the triplets following in her wake. Looking over at Akamaru, he began to wish for a book or something. Being stuck in the Hospital might have sucked, but being around two feuding Inuzuka women was just suicidal. He might be loud and a little dim at times, but Kiba was not THAT stupid.

-----

As Shizune stirred the pot filled with their dinner, she took a moment to reflect upon the day. For so many years, it had been just Tsunade-sama, Tonton and herself, wandering around the Elemental Nations for the next big score or fight. She cared deeply for her mentor, but the constant travel had been wearing down on her soul for a while, as the activity was clearly not healing Tsunade at all. Naruto had ended up saving her from the ghosts of the past, and she could never thank him enough for that action. It was a shame that, after all of that effort to return to Konoha, it has been undone by those old farts.

However, this time the travel didn't hurt much at all. Tsunade was barely drinking, she was teaching instead of constantly learning, and they had their own built in soap opera to boot! Who would have thought that the Hyuga Heiress would have fallen so hard for the village pariah? Hinata was really a sweet girl, but some of her actions concerned the brunette. Although she was no Yamanaka mind healer, signs of emotional abuse seemed to sing from every action the younger apprentice made. However, Shizune was not crass enough to bring it up directly. All she could do would be to help out as much as she could, while insuring that the poor girl didn't take up any of Tsunade's methods for the problem. One drunken medic was more than enough, thank you very much.

Unmindful of the speculative look Shizune was throwing her, Hinata concentrated on her anatomy text with complete abandon. Unlike the studying she and Naruto had previously undertaken, this was completely new material. Each bit of knowledge would make her a stronger medic, thus more helpful in Naruto's recovery. However, although the Hyuga had some familiarity with the organ groups from her clan training, these terms and technical names were difficult to memorize. If she wasn't careful, they might leave her behind. That would not be allowed to happen!

Of course, that was the point that Naruto got bored with the various ways of setting bones and decided to chat with the shy girl. Although they had been talking for the last few days with minimal issue, Hinata was still flustered by their close contact. Fainting would have commenced quickly if Naruto hadn't started commenting on her organ scroll. Soon, he was firing off question after question, forcing Hinata to concentrate on the talk before she could faint. Surprisingly, her natural inclination to focus on Naruto's speech and actions helped her review the text significantly faster than before. As soon as the hyperactive blonde took a breath, Hinata realized that the contents of the scroll had been fully memorized! It was all she could do not to break out laughing in relief!

Naruto was just having a ball; despite his earlier protests, this was actually shaping up to be one of the best experiences of his short life. He had friends; sensei's who would train him (as weird as their methods were) and people who believed in him! With all of the fun from the last few days, the nightmares hadn't bothered him in a while. Plus, with Hinata-chan's help, the Academy made so much more sense! Suddenly, all of that time lost because of pranks, or sensei's telling him to wait in the hall or confiscating his books, was made up in days! Instead of constantly feeling like an idiot, Naruto actually began to understand things! It was awesome!

The only thing that was bothering him were these strange urges. Sure, he had always liked seeing cute girls, but lately it was getting worse. Sometimes he just wanted to grab Hinata-chan and not let go, or ask Shizune-nee-chan for a backrub. Even Tsunade-baa-chan hugging went constantly through his mind! No one had ever explained these sorts of feelings to him, and it was leaving the poor boy very confused. Most of the time he could suppress them, but if he couldn't train to burn off energy soon, the Jinchuuriki knew he'd go crazy! The wierd thing was, a laugh from Hinata-chan almost affected him twice as strongly as a smile from Sakura-chan...

Looking into her sake cup, Tsunade smiled softly. So far, things had gone according to plan; Naruto was getting better by leaps and bounds, Hinata had the makings of an excellent apprentice, and Shizune was learning the joys of teaching. They would be staying in a peaceful country with only a few appearances of that stupid Crone disguise. The whole thing was making her nostalgic. THIS is the sort of peace her first trip should have brought her. Tsunade might love Shizune like a daughter, but things were so much more FUN this time around!

Stretching, she went in to help with dinner. This was not a vacation, but a chance to heal and grow. Before they knew it, Naruto would be fully restored and deliberations over the next step could begin. Homura and Koharu wouldn't be going anywhere while the Daimyo favored them, but knowing Jiraiya, Danzou should soon be a issue of the past. Hopefully, after things were fixed, she could meander back and keep things under control for a few years. If all went well, Naruto could take over before he was twenty. She really was too old for that shit.

-----

Author s Note

Sorry about the delay, but I hope that clears up some issues. :)

As I have stated before I do not hate Sakura; that doesn't mean that I won't grind her into the dirt to make her an effective Kunoichi. For those of you who think that results are unrealistic, I dare you to watch the training flashbacks in the first few Shippuuden episodes. NOTHING Kurenai-sensei has done so far matches punting explosives at her to practice dodging exercises. In fact, the only reason that Tsunade hasn't tried something like that yet is the simple fact that they don't have a suitable training ground at the moment.

So far the feedback has been very positive. I don't even have that many major issues to discuss this time. One complaint that I got was the lack of realism in Orochimaru's bounties on healers and healing techniques. To clarify, these are NINJA healers and healing techniques. As stated by Tsunade, Ninja Medics are very rare and require precise skills that are difficult to impart. Most wouldn't leave their village, so any freelancers in the craft WOULD stick out like a sore thumb.

Another thing that was commented upon was the stand alone chapters linked to the main story. Most of the reactions have been negative, so I shall try to focus them. Each stand alone will be a pure side story, not impacting the main line at all. The one that comes to mind quickly would be the initial meeting of Tsunade and the Daimyo of Vegetable Country. Just to warn you, though, some of the upcoming chapters will become significantly Konoha-centric as a result. Hopefully, this won't happen too much, but please be aware of the issue.

Thanks for this chapter go to RubysQuill and MegaB. Both provided insight that insured a much more entertaining story. Hopefully, they will both be willing to help me out in the future. -_-;;;

Please stay tuned, because the next chapter has things heating up again! It can't all be a bed of roses and bouts of flirting, now can it?


	9. The Razor's Edge of Destruction

No I don't own Naruto. Although, if we're talking rental options, I hear Anko does an excellent Tea Ceremony.

Chapter Nine: The Razor's Edge of Destruction

_There are five, no six birds and twenty seven trees to the right behind me. Therefore, there are a total of thirty seven birds, one hundred and fifty six trees and twenty nine squirrels within a two mile radius of my location._

Relaxing her Byakugan for the first time in twenty five minutes, Hinata rubbed her temples in pain. Hyuga endurance and concentration practice was always such a headache. Standing up on the surface of the lake, she started to head towards the shore; it was her turn to make breakfast and Tsunade-sama hated to be kept waiting. Besides, they had gotten some very nice sweet potatoes from the Daimyo the other day, and the quiet Hyuga wanted to check them over for lunch. It wasn't a cinnamon bun, but nothing else really was either.

After the last two and a half weeks in Vegetable Country, the group was finally settling into a pattern. Tsunade (or Shizune, if badgered enough) would don the disguise of the Crone of the Seed, and proceed to the castle to heal patients. The remaining medic would put them through intensive workouts all morning, pushing them to the point that even Naruto would be dropping from exhaustion. When questioned about the intensity, Tsunade revealed that most combat that a medic ninja saw was expected to be performed without the use of chakra. "Given the ratio of medics to normal ninja, we have to conserve every bit of power possible. If saving your life with a fireball means being unable to heal a stab wound later, the medic ninja has failed their primary duty." Thus, it became standard practice for the two medics to work them as hard as possible for hours, often going to bed barely coherent.

However, the grueling pace was beginning to show results. Each day had them going farther, doing more, and growing faster in ways that never ceased to amaze the shy girl. Being the top medic in the world, Tsunade knew more about physical limits and development than anyone else alive perhaps save Orochimaru. Therefore, each workout was carefully modulated to gain a maximum result with minimal effort. The efficiency of the training was startling, yet satisfying. In such a short time, Hinata was actually beginning to feel worthy of her title as Chunin. The Hyuga knew that she would never have become this strong on her own; and like everything wonderful in her life, she accredited it to a certain hyperactive blonde.

Naruto had also flourished under the new training. With each exercise and treatment, he was showing massive improvement. Actions that would have sent him sprawling days ago were now done with ease and precision. Between the physical workouts, both Chunin proceeded with academic study, a subject where Naruto actually was helping her. Somehow, the previously dim kid would take every text that they were assigned and break it down into simple segments. Each time that they helped each other study; Hinata came away with a surprisingly large amount of improvement herself. Although Naruto-kun claimed that she was the only reason that he understood as much as he did, she thought the same thing right back.

Today was a very special day in their training, though. For after running test after test, (and playing games of Chinese checkers against Tsunade, Shizune and Hinata for hours on end) Naruto's mental development and chakra concentration was deemed stable enough to attempt his ninjutsu library. Hopefully, if their predictions about the Shadow Clone Jutsu were correct, Naruto would be able to develop his chakra control much more quickly than before. As it stood, he still had Academy level ability with more than Kage-level power, a dangerous combination for his continued survival.

Shaking herself out of such depressing thoughts, Hinata automatically started to wash the rice. Training without eating was a disaster waiting to happen, and she would not be responsible for such an issue. Things had been going so well, and she wished for them to continue as such. For while she was more tired, scared, drained and stressed out than any other point in her life, the quietest Hyuga in generations knew one thing. This had been the happiest time of her existence, and she would fight to protect it!

-----

Heading into downtown Konoha, it was all Ino could do not to scream. Everywhere she went these days people were acknowledging her with awe and respect, praising her clan for their bravery. The fact that most of the village civilian population was worshiping one of her relatives for mentally abusing one of her friends made the young Yamanaka angrier and increasingly confused as time went by. Why was Naruto hated so much, how had this happened? These questions had been plaguing her and Sakura for weeks!

After straightening out the rumor mill with Ayame, Ino had marched straight home to find out what was going on. For the last week, the Yamanaka heiress had been wallowing in pain, misery and self-loathing; now she was just pissed. When confronted, Inoichi had admitted the modified rumors had reached him as well. However, his ability to fix the situation was limited by the will of the majority of the Yamanaka clan, many of whom were still angry about the initial ruling. "Sometimes a leader must learn to compromise. Kenshin was punished, and the clan won't lead a revolt; that will have to be enough for now." But it wasn't enough, and Ino knew she had to do something about it or go insane with guilt.

Simply countering the rumors outright would do very little. The Yamanaka's were traditionally based in the village's information and interrogation departments, so any of her relatives could spin the situation to come out smelling pretty. Something subtle would be lost on the masses, though, because many though the family could do no wrong. To make the proper statement, she would have to be careful, tactful, and methodical. Since that was not really her normal style, Ino sought out her childhood friend, Shikamaru. He might find her troublesome, but the lazy Nara knew his strategy.

It turned out that Shikamaru had been kept busy for the last month as an impromptu ambassador for the Suna Genin Team. Jiraiya had been given a simple agenda by Tsunade before her escape, and improving relations with their ally was near the top of the list. So, the Suna Genin had been introduced to the Konoha Ninja Academy, marveling at the way their teachers managed to produce so many potential soldiers in such a relaxed atmosphere. Since he was low man on the totem pole, Shikamaru had to do a stint as an instructor there to build his Chunin-level knowledge and leadership skills. The two agenda's aligned well enough that Shikamaru was constantly hanging out with the group during their classes, while debating strategy and tactics with Temari. Kankuro thought the whole experience was a blast (he didn't really have a lot of friends growing up), and Gaara was still getting used to the idea of proper comrades.

Therefore, it was four minds not one that Ino inadvertently picked once she located the lazy ninja. At first, Ino was hesitant to explain the situation while foreign ninja were present. Even if they were allies now, such matters could be considered an issue of village security, and shouldn't have been spread around. Shikamaru had vouched for them, though, and that was good enough for her. Although, she could do without Gaara million-mile stare.

However, as creepy as the kid was, Gaara was surprisingly clever when he chose to talk. Between the five of them a plan was formed that, if done just so, would provide the right message to both the village and her family. After tracking down Asuma-sensei at the bar with Kurenai-sensei (for a supposed friendly drink), Ino had an appointment set up the next day. Clearly, if compromises and statements needed to be made, she would need the backing of someone in power sympathetic to her cause. At the moment, the only one who liked Naruto and might listen was Jiraiya-sama himself. Apparently, he had always had a weakness for blondes.

Entering the Hokage's office, Ino felt an eyebrow-twitch coming on. Behind a mountain of paperwork Jiraiya-sama, legendary Toad Sage, was currently using the security crystal ball monitor of the village to peep on the hot springs. However, her killing intent must have registered, because one blink later, the evidence was safely out of sight. "Ah, Ino-chan! Asuma said that you had something to ask of me?" Remembering her errand, and the fact she needed the old pervert on her side, Ino calmed down. "Hai, Jiraya-sama; I wish to find housing outside of the Yamanaka Clan."

While this statement might seem innocent, it was anything but. Heir's to clans NEVER left clan property on their own initiative, unless they had major issues with family policy. Even then, they needed backing of someone in power who could help to shield them from attack, in case the clan sought to retrieve the rebellious figure to save face. If Ino did this, all contact with her family would be effectively severed, unless the Yamanaka sought out Jiraiya as a go-between; an action that would only happen if they corrected the initial action that led to the separation in the first place. While somewhat shielded by her status as a Ninja in good standing, Ino was still taking quite a risk. If enough pressure was accumulated, she might even find herself in front of a Clan Judgment for insubordination.

Being a student of the Sandaime, and one of Konoha's major spymasters, Jiraiya picked up on the nuances of her request in an instant. While he didn't blame Inoichi for falling to internal politics, Jiraiya was a little annoyed with the reverence that Yamanaka Kenshin was being spoken of. Providing Ino-chan with some support would go a long way towards paying them back for such actions, but it lacked a certain something. Thinking through a number of scenarios, the old pervert smirked. He might support Ino-chan's initiative, but that did not mean he couldn't add his own flair to the situation!

Reaching into the monstrous stacks of paperwork, Jiraiya began to read in an overly pompous voice, "Yamanaka Ino; a mission has been brought to my attention that you might find interesting. Over the last few weeks, a residence has been the target of repeated vandalism by varied groups of civilians. While ninja on site often intervened, the fact that five D-rank missions have been issued to repair the damage is a sign of inefficiency. Therefore, since your team is somewhat dissolved at the moment, I am assigning you a solo C-rank mission to stay on site to insure the safety of the location and repair any damage that it sustains. The duration is long term, until such time as the original resident, one Uzumaki Naruto returns, to the location. Do you accept?"

Eyes widening, Ino realized exactly what Jiraiya was playing at. By basing her in Naruto's apartment, a major message would be sent out to those paying attention. She did not support them, and would rather side with Naruto the village pariah than agree with their methods. However, since it was an official mission, no one could censure her for acting within her ninja duties. It was the perfect win-win situation!

Smiling brightly, Ino chirped, "When should I move in?"

-----

Jumping from side to side, Hinata kept her Byakugan focused for the targets. Soon, a splash sounded and the Hyuga's hands were a blur of motion. Not every mark had been hit, but nearly twenty more than the previous attempt were shattered. Powering down, she sighed; developing this technique was extremely draining and if it wasn't for Shizune's help, her accuracy would be nowhere near its current level. Walking from the surface of the lake, she accepted a towel from the smiling brunet and dried off. The shyest Hyuga was more than ready for a break.

Patting her fellow apprentice on the shoulder, Shizune beamed, "That was very impressive, Hinata-chan! I could almost see the chakra hit the water. Once you perfect your control, I think that your new technique will be truly amazing!"

Blushing, Hinata couldn't help but remember how this additional training had developed. After a few days of advanced water-walking, Hinata had thought back to the initial splitting of the wave with her chakra. Attempts to recreate the effect were difficult, but after several tries, she had managed to split the water with the precision of a laser. Explaining her efforts to the curious Shizune, an off comment had been made about how, with such precision, she might be able to hit her opponent's tenketsu. That had brought her up short.

Hyuga advanced enough in their technique to hit the tenketsu were rare enough; but those who could do so while in the heat of battle were true gems. Neji had not been granted the title of genius for nothing. However, Hinata hadn't been pushed by anyone else, besides Kurenai-sensei, in years to develop her Hyuga abilities. Most of the clan had simply written her off as a failure and moved on to Hanabi's potential development. Therefore, Hinata only had the barest of ideas about how to perform the higher-level techniques in her clan. Having stumbled upon a training method that might allow her to develop this neglected aspect of her ability was more than just welcome; it was a godsend.

So, for every day since that initial discovery, Hinata would use at least an hour of the advanced water walking technique to practice the Juken. Each resulting splash was mercilessly sliced with her chakra, increasing her control and precision. Shizune had been very helpful, not only in accommodating the unusual training, but with tips on targeting. Being primarily a senbon and needle-user, Shizune was used to careful attacks and placement of weapons. Between the two of them, Hinata's control of the Byakugan had improved to the point where she was even beginning to see the tenketsu of herself and others. This achievement left her breathless with excitement, and contemplative about the future.

While she knew the basic exercises of the Kaiten, Hinata was unsure if it would really fit her emerging fighting style. Although useful against multiple opponents, it was primarily designed for straight combat. As an emerging medic, Hinata's primary duty was always going to be towards her patients and the injured. Therefore, she needed a technique that would allow an ultimate defense that could be guided to protecting others, as opposed to only her. It was difficult, but with additional training taking advantage of her natural flexibility, Hinata was on the cusp of realizing a new technique. It was slow going, but with the extra support she received, the normally self-conscious Hyuga was ready for the challenge.

However, the skill would not come about just yet.

"Oy, Hinata-chan, Shizune! Come here for a minute, I think we need some help!"

Blinking at the irritated tone, Hinata immediately headed over to her instructor, curious about the concern she heard there, "Hai, Tsunade-sama!"

-----

Sipping her tea calmly, Koharu waited patiently for her guest. When Homura walked thought the door, a contemplative look in his eye, it was all she needed to read the situation; things were not going as smoothly as they had thought. Serving himself at her silent invitation, Homura rubbed his eyes before sipping the calming brew. "I imagine that you had as much luck as I did." Grimacing at his defeated tone, the ancient kunoichi sighed. "If by luck, you mean lower than average, then yes I did."

I wasn't that the civilian population wasn't interested in the opportunity to produce the next generation of Uchiha. There had been any number of applicants, from single women to whole moderate civilian clans. Each saw the Uchiha abilities as a stepping stone to greater rewards, or a necessary effort for the future betterment of their village. Both ideas had merit, and were thus encouraged; happy mothers were healthy mothers after all. No, finding the number of bodies that Jiraiya had sought shouldn't be a problem at all.

The issue was that the expected civilian bidding wars over the rights to the Uchiha name had not happened. This was seen as an opportunity, but no longer an honor. For while they might seem mindless at times; the leaders of the Civilian population were far from stupid. Each saw the way the wind was blowing, and it was not in the favor of Sasuke's spawn. Some had even expressed concern over the stability of any offspring, both from their bloodline and their likely reaction at being made the focus of so much pressure.

Well-placed civilian families, who made up the backbone of Konoha's infrastructure, were hesitant to invest. Already the ninja population was angry at the betrayal of both living Uchiha's, and that attitude had begun to spread to the normal citizens of the village. Despite what either group might think at times, both ninja and civilians needed each other to survive effectively. So with that much anger, it was understandable that the groups they had sought to manipulate were slightly uncooperative.

That did not mean that either Advisor had to like it.

"Forty seven families approached, and only four expressed an interest in the breeding program. Of those four, the highest placed is a family of BAKERS. These possibilities are going to breed loyal Uchiha, but it will take DECADES for them to reach anywhere their previous level of prominence. I am afraid that this is an empty path to power." Shaking her head in agreement, Koharu sighed, "I was lucky to get six interested parties. Most are rather pedestrian, but one was a former ninja clan that fell into obscurity due to a lack of able heirs. At least they might be salvaged with this farce." Leaning back, Homura stared into his steaming cup in depression. "At times like this, I cannot help but feel that Danzou has gone senile."

Reaching over to cover her old friend s hand, Koharu smiled wanly. "Oh, he's not senile; just out of touch. Danzou has been hiding in the shadows for so long, that he has lost track of the common people in the village. He's clever enough to adapt with some proper exposure. We'll just have to encourage him to get out a little bit."

Shaking his head in remorse, Homura looked Koharu directly, "Are you sure of this path? All that seems to be happening lately is a lack of direction and constant infighting; Konoha doesn't need that right now." Straightening her spine, the old woman sighed, "It HAS to be the right path. We have fought for this village for decades, and cannot allow the manipulations or threats from some youngsters stop us. Danzou has the resources that we need, and has become our pipeline to the Daimyo. Without his aid, Konoha will fall because of our limited assets."

Comforted by these words, the two old ninja drank their tea in silence. Their efforts might be for naught, but they wouldn't be able to face their sensei in the afterlife if Konoha wasn't kept safe; if not by them, then who?

-----

Looking over the missive from the Daimyo, Danzou suppressed a curse. That little toad boy was too clever for his own good.

Shin's team had been forced to wait for WEEKS, before the Daimyo would allow an audience. This was not unheard of, but it tied up one of his few ROOT groups for far too long. With the chaos surrounding Konoha at the moment, he needed everybody he could get. While technically not a time of war, the Daimyo's actions were at best foolhardy and at worst dangerous. Clearly, the man wished to send a message about the realities of their relationship, making the returned scroll a mere formality.

Jiraiya had managed to bypass the whole issue of waiting by using that Sarutobi brat as his messenger. Before any of the situations could be properly presented, Asuma had managed to get to the Daimyo first, presenting the entirety of Tsunade's decrees and decisions clearly in black and white. Apparently, their conversation had been illuminating, and angered the leader significantly. If not for the numerous guards and trained independent ninja, Danzou might have just had him killed and started over with his replacement. Things had gotten much worse than he was expecting.

The only good thing to come from the scroll was his continued allegiance. The Daimyo still believed that Konoha needed a more stable Hokage, and thought using the Advisors Council to keep things under control was a good idea. However, the loss of the strength of the Slug Sannin and potential abuse of a highly visible Konoha ninja was unsettling. Already, news of Tsunade's little holiday was making the rounds, stirring up international pressure and concern. If they could not keep a stronger leash on Jiraiya, he'd be forced to seek out other options.

Growling, it was all Danzou could do not to throw the text in anger. He had been counting upon a stronger show of support than that! Homura and Koharu were already leery of further action without more well placed allies; something he could no longer offer with impunity. What he needed was some sort of control or issue that would raise the need for his services, granting him agreater position of power.

Leaning back in irritation, the war hawk considered his options. Most of his personal spies said that Orochimaru had holed up in Rice Country, licking his wounds. Suna was provisionally being run by a council of Jonin, but would be tied up looking for the next Kazekage for a while. Iwa was beginning to move in on Konoha's business, capitalizing upon the disorganized situation plaguing the missions' office. Kumo was taking a 'wait-and-see' approach to the whole mess, gloating about the possible opportunities. No one was moving, so he had no need to provide special off-the-books missions yet.

Perhaps he was looking at this the wrong way. The last time a situation of this nature had occurred, he had tried a secret alliance with Rain to gather the needed support to take over the Hokage's position. While that had fallen through because of a bloody kekkei genkai user, it might work this time around...

Mind made up, Danzou made his plans. Once word had been received from Sai's group, feelers would be sent to manufacture an incident. The increased trouble would improve his own value, insuring some needed pull to make changes. Nodding firmly, the crazy old man prepared to retire, fueled by images of war, power and revenge.

-----

When looking into improving Naruto's taijutsu technique, Tsunade was presented with two possible methods; option one involved months of careful practice that would slowly integrate new and precise forms into his technique. The second was painful, difficult, slightly insane, but much faster. Since this was Naruto and time was a factor, it seemed like a perfect fit. Of course the hyperactive blonde begged to differ after the first few days participating, but that wasn't really taken into account.

Thus, Naruto, angered with his previous attempts at ninjutsu proceeded to begin his normal training; kick a tree hard enough to tear his muscles into place. This was also known as, ten thousand with the left foot and ten thousand with the right. Tsunade has decided that, instead of training his existing muscles, she would simply work him into the ground until they healed into the right shape. While effective, with his normal regenerative abilities, it took a truly massive volume number of strikes to accomplish anything. Something that Naruto was very happy about in his current state of mind.

Nothing had worked! No matter how carefully he channeled his chakra, or how little he put into the technique, none of the ninjutsu Tsunade-baa-chan had let him use had worked for him. Even his shadow clone was pathetic. Of course, finding out from Hinata-chan that he was dumping over two hundred times of the needed energy into each one was a little scary. Plus, Tsunade hadn't allowed him to use his summoning for fear of blowing their cover with Gamabunta. But no Substitution, no Henge, no Shadow Clone; that was practically his entire jutsu library! Now he knew what Bushy Brow felt like!

It had been going so well, too! Each day Naruto felt stronger, went longer, and got more accomplished than his entire time under Kakashi-sensei. Between Tsunade-baa-chan, Shizune-nee-chan, and Hinata-chan, he actually thought he would become a stronger ninja. But now, after all that hard work, it was like being back to square one! Until he could control this power, taijustu was his only option. It left the normally hyperactive ninja stewing in his own dark thoughts.

Pausing at the sound of footfalls, he turns around to face his instructor. "I didn't say stop, now did I brat?" Shrugging, Naruto began to hit the tree again, this time with much greater force. Tsunade was silent, waiting for him to finish taking his anger out on the poor plant. Although, with the way the bark was cracking, she might have to hold him back soon. Silent, the two of them plodded through his exercises, finishing just before dinner. Collapsing, Naruto fell down and made no move to get up.

Sighing, Tsunade sat next to him. "You know Naruto; it's not that big of a deal. We just don't have the ability to test your stronger attacks just yet. Once we find an area that can handle the destruction, I'll let you summon a thousand clones, ok?" Looking up at her worried gaze, Naruto was unusually solemn. "I know Baa-chan. It just feels like things were going so well, and then this happened. What good is all this power if I can't use it?" Ruffling his hair, the Sannin snorted, "Tell you what, kiddo. You might not have the control for a proper medical ninjutsu, but there IS one technique I can show you. Let's grab some of Hinata-chan's cooking, and we'll work on it after dinner." Eyes lighting up, Naruto pushed himself off the ground as quickly as possible. A new jutsu ALWAYS made everything better!

Laughing at his sudden enthusiasm, Tsunade patted him on the back, "See? Things aren't that bad. You'll be throwing around armies before you know it!" Smirking, Naruto had a sudden thought. Throwing a sideways glance to the blonde Hokage, he drawled, "You know Baa-chan, I don't think that I tried EVERY technique I know." Raising an eyebrow, she cocked her head to the side, "Oh? What other technique do you have that won't flatten everything in a five mile radius?" Making a quick hand seal, Naruto decided a demonstration of his patented Kage-killer was in order.

"Sexy Jutsu!"

Appearing in a cloud of smoke, a taller, fuller Naruto joined Tsunade in the field, naked as the day 'she' was born. "At least this technique still works!" 'She' said with a pout, throwing a kiss. It was all Tsunade could do not to throttle him, so she settled for smacking Naruto upside the head. Rubbing his head in pain, Naruto dispersed the technique. "Hey, Baa-chan, that hurt! It was just a little joke." Tsunade however was no longer listening, looking at her hand in shock.

_That was actual contact! How could he make a physical illusion of that complexity with his level of chakra control?_

-----

Staring into the training ground in silence, Hiashi sipped his tea as Hanabi practiced her forms.

Things had once been so simple; Hinata was a failure, Hanabi would take over the clan, and another generation of Hyuga superiority would be insured. However, recently he had come to question the validity of such beliefs, leaving him in an oddly contemplative mood. While things had not changed that much, enough was shifting to make him nervous. Unless dramatic action was taken, Hiashi did not see how the Hyuga could survive.

It had started off slowly with the dissemination of Tsunade's order concerning the Caged Bird Seal. While the Main House was furious about this treatment, Branch House members were beginning to show signs of tenseness and aggravation. Despite its subtlety, the Byakugan could discover much if properly motivated. Branch Family members were beginning to chafe under their service, and the decree simply acted as an accelerant. Those who had given in to fate years ago seemed to exude HOPE for their freedom; a shocking development to the traditionalists in the family.

Oh, Hiashi knew that the counter-seal efforts were already under way. Word had reached him of Jiraiya's examinations of a recovering Neji, and given their possession of the Hyuga Seal Master, it was really only a matter of time. While no specific instances or information had been brought to his attention, it did not take a genius to determine the next path of action many branch family members would take. Once Jiraiya had a method in place to remove the seal, it wouldn't surprise him if petitions for emancipation flooded the Hokage office. While they would lose their family name and position, the Hyuga clan would lose the emancipated ninja's protection and financial contributions to the main accounts. Unfortunately, many of the interested parties would view this as a fair trade.

What the Hyuga needed was a leader that would encourage the continued alliance of the Main House and the Branch House. Many of the Branch House hated him outright for the sacrifice of his brother, the varied Hyuga elders had shown their abusive roots for years, and Hanabi was still too young and headstrong. Suddenly, a peaceful daughter who showed kindness and compassion, emotions normally shunned by the Hyuga, was a potential godsend. Yet even that avenue of possible control had been removed by a legendary Sannin, who had apparently seen something in Hinata that he had not. The castoff had become the potential savior of the family; fate truly had a nasty sense of humor.

The second, more pressing concern was the Hyuga family's status within the village. After the news of Uzumaki's sealing had leaked out to the general public, the Hyuga had been further elevated by the common civilian. While personally disturbed by this chain of events, Hiashi could not argue with the potential opportunity this presented. Many of the Elders hoped to convert this support into pressure to reclaim elder Shinji, nipping the destruction of the Caged Bird Seal before it got anywhere. Despite his misgivings Hiashi was a logical being and capable politician, and began to prepare such plans. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

Within the last week or so, a second generation of rumors had begun to spread, undermining the support the three families had gained from the assault. The Uchiha name had already been badly blackened with Sasuke's recent betrayal, causing people to question the nature of the entire clan. The Yamanaka heiress had apparently made plans to vacate the family property in protest of their sanctuary of Yamanaka Kenshin, using the Hokage as a benefactor. Both of these rumors were mostly inconsequential, seeing as there weren't any Uchiha available to slander and the Yamanaka were carefully placed within the information centers of Konoha and could thus run damage control. The rumors concerning the Hyuga, however, were far more dangerous.

For some reason, the civilian population had begun to speculate that Uzumaki was simply a test run. Stories about secret Hyuga plans to seal normal Konoha ninja to insure their power had taken off like wildfire. Before, the Hyuga name garnered respect, if generally no affection. Now, people were viewing the clan with fear and mistrust, undermining their position within the village. Unfortunately, due to their attitudes and heightened position within the hierarchy, the Hyuga had few allies to come to their defense. If not stopped soon, this character assassination would ruin the entire family.

Letting out a small sigh, Hiashi called an end to the practice. He needed to meditate on these events and formulate a plan of action. Without some sort of effort, the Hyuga might soon be shunned within the walls of their home. They were proud, but not so numerous that leaving Konoha was tenable. Unless a proper resolution to these issues could be found, he had no idea as to how they could prosper. Such was his fate and duty as a leader.

-----

Councilor Daisuke had served the Daimyo of Vegetable Country for nearly ten years. He was a fairly important person within the country's financial structure, managing the caravans used to export their goods. Capable, hard working, and very well liked; Daisuke was a model for other officials to live up to. Therefore, it would shock his friends and associates to the core to realize the councilor had his own dreams and ambitions. Both of which caused him to seek out a greater patron than a weak and pitiful Daimyo.

Therefore, walking near the border without escort, Councilor Daisuke prepared to take a hold of his destiny. Coming upon the agreed upon meeting place, the traitor did not have long to wait. Three figures appeared, as if out of thin air. Each wore facial tattoos, had cropped hair, and exuded a significant amount of confidence. Looking into their eyes, it was all the Councilor could do not to shake in fear. Truly, the Janin Brothers deserved their reputation with that sort of gaze.

Looking down upon the simpering coward, Renga the Eldest smirked. "Have you approached your compatriots with our offer?" Gulping, Daisuke nodded, "Many are interested in new leadership. The current Daimyo is soft, and makes too many concessions for peace. With him in place, we will never have proper independence and authority. However, the people love him, so officially removing him without a show of force is impossible. Several key figures, including myself, are fully ready to support your control of the country, especially with the offered concessions. However, there might be a small problem."

Frowning, Jiga the Middle glared at the little pipsqueak. "What sort of problem? Your country has practically no military strength, and maybe three active ninja. That idiot leader doesn't possess anything that can stop us!" Sweating, Daisuke held up a hand for peace. "Perhaps, but recently one of his old allies has reappeared; a powerful healer known as the Crone of the Seed. She is a legend in these parts, and many are hesitant to attack such a prominent figure. As long as the Crone is publicly linked to the Daimyo's patronage, his popularity will only increase. This, in turn, will decrease the likelihood of success and improve the chances of revolt."

Licking his lips, Ruiga the Youngest smiled at his brothers. "Well now, isn't that interesting? Say Renga, I know you wanted to wait for a little bit to gain more support and information, but isn't this a golden opportunity? The Crone of the Seed might just be what we're looking for." Remembering the notices of the Snake Sannin's bounties, the elder Jagin brother nodded. Such a prize would not only gain them money, but the notice and potential patronage to Hidden Sound to boot! "Originally, I thought we needed the extra time to move under the radar of Konoha; they have a minor alliance with Vegetable that we had to be careful about. However, they're in chaos at the moment because of some sort of power play by the Hokage. If there was ever a perfect time to attack, it would be now."

Turning to their informant, Renga unleashed a full predatory grin, "Now, why don't you tell us everything about this Crone and your Daimyo's habits, and we'll take care of the rest, ne?" Joining their brother in grinning, the Jagin Brothers began to dream about their future. Soon, an entire nation would be theirs to control, with wealth and power at their fingertips! Shuddering at the potential for bloodlust in those eyes, Daisuke spilled every bit of information in his arsenal. With this selfish action, he sealed the fate of both his country and himself.

-----

Grumbling, Kiba headed towards the Team Eight training ground. Kurenai-sensei had met with his doctors the other day, confirming the dog ninja was once again cleared for training. However, Akamaru was still recovering, and wouldn't be able to work for a while. Hana had only been in once more before his release, and had informed Kiba the puppy wouldn't be ready for nearly a month. Being forced to return to active duty without his partner or Hinata all managed to put Kiba in a bad mood; the kind that only a serious fight would solve.

Entering the clearing, he was treated to the sight of Sakura trying to land a punch on Kurenai-sensei. Snorting, Kiba already could see the team was screwed with a kunoichi like the pink-haired banshee. She might be a little cuter with short hair, but Sakura's technique sucked; Hinata would have tagged Kurenai-sensei within five minutes at that speed. Honestly, what could that simpering little girl bring to the team? She had no clan, no special powers, and apparently no grasp on how to fight. She'd be better off working as a civilian than taking on the trouble Team Eight had to deal with.

Pausing, Kurenai held up a hand to stop the spar. Turning to face her third team member, she let a small smile escape, "Welcome Kiba; I hope you are ready to get worked into the ground. We have a lot of time to recover, and much to do." Letting out one of his trademark grins, Kiba scratched his nose in mild embarrassment, "Don't worry, Kurenai-sensei! The doc's patched me right up; once Akamaru gets fully healed, we'll kick everybody's butt so hard, they won't know what hit them!" Shaking her head at the bravado, the Genjutsu Mistress gestured to the gasping Haruno. "I assume that you are already familiar with your new teammate?" Smile becoming fixed, Kiba released a small snort, "Of course; who doesn't know about Sasuke's number one fan girl?"

Seeing the slump of Sakura's shoulders, he felt a little bad. However, because of this idiot's teammate, Hinata-chan was gone, Akamaru was injured, and the Inuzuka's were fighting about using his sister as Uchiha breeding stock. Given Kiba's rather narrow viewpoint and limited exposure to the situation, his reaction was more or less expected. Sakura simply represented the easiest target for the dog ninja's current rage.

That did not mean that Kurenai-sensei was happy about her observations; just that she understood why it happened.

To rebuild the Team Eight dynamic, each member had to prove themselves to the other. As Jonin sensei, the Genin automatically followed her orders. The efforts of the last month had shown Shino some of Sakura's potential, while the pink-haired kunoichi gained a greater understanding of the quiet Aburame. Theoretically, if they kept up the current intensity of training, those two would have no trouble working together for a while. However Kiba still saw Sakura as the useless fan girl of Team Seven and, coupled with his current abandonment issues, would not bond with her even under orders. Likewise, after that last barb, Sakura would be feeling defensive around the Inuzuka, causing undue stress to the group. This situation had to be corrected before any proper progress could be made.

Shaking her head in resignation, Kurenai hoped she knew what she was doing, "Alright, I think that a proper warm-up is in order to welcome you back. Sakura, I want you to cool down a bit and loosen up; once you catch your breath, both you and Kiba need to be ready for a full contact spar. Just be careful; neither of you are at full strength." Seeing the feral look in Kiba's eyes and Sakura's nervous gulp, Kurenai had to question her sanity. However, only a proper battle between the two could build the sort of understanding they needed. Orders could only go so far; the Genin had to BELIEVE in each other for this team to work.

Cracking his knuckles, Kiba GRINNED, "Ready when you are, Sakura!"

Wiping the sweat out of her eyes, Sakura firmed her resolve; she had to do this. Otherwise, how could she prove herself worthy of being a Ninja? "You're on, dog boy!"

-----

Jiraiya smirked, reading the report; ninja toads had surprisingly good penmanship.

After nearly a month of surveillance, the Toad Sage felt prepared to attack the Danzou issue at its source. He was the major problem at the moment; by gathering independent forces outside the Hokage's purview, Danzou was committing treason. While the Advisor's Council had official standing within Konoha, Danzou worked so deeply from the shadows, that no one was sure of his official position anymore. Unlike Homura and Koharu, though, he had resources and contacts sufficient to become a major threat to village security.

That simply would not do.

Based upon Kosuke's reports, ROOT was more than active; it was thriving! Somehow that old fart had gotten his hands on a very large group of orphans, and was training them into the ground. While his actual number of battle ready ninja was still small, in another two years or so he'd have an independent ANBU-level force causing all sorts of trouble. If this sort of thing wasn't taken care of now, Danzou might try to become the next Hokage; something that could not be allowed.

Sending out a carefully modulated call-to-arms, Jiraiya prepared his briefing. The ANBU involved had been closely screened, so there shouldn't be any sort of treachery. Also, if the Advisor's Council 'happened' to be in attendance in an illegally run independent facility, he might take out two birds with one stone. Hopefully, once this ROOT was plucked, things could start changing around here. He was seriously missing his research; the stupid crystal ball just wasn't the same!

-----

Authors Notes

Well, now things are finally getting interesting!

I hope that none of you thought that I was going to allow that stupid fossil to live any longer than necessary. Danzou angers me more than any other character in the series, including Orochimaru! He's a bloody relic, who deserves to die in a horribly messy fashion. Luckily, that will happen before too much longer.

I don't have any major issues with Kiba, but the little puppy needs to be put in his place. Often, two characters I see ragged upon the most in these stories are Sakura due to her obsession with the Uchiha and Kiba, who is clearly in the way of a Naruto and Hinata match-up. Somehow, setting them on one another just seemed to be poetic justice. He has a bruised ego and she has something to prove. Hopefully, they can get it out of their systems before things get more difficult. Quite frankly, I was shocked that he got so much sympathy after the last chapter. Ino I could understand, but Kiba?

I know that everyone is waiting on Team Gai, but give me a break. Two of them are recovering from major surgery, one is involved in major political games that might undermine the power of his clan, and the third is off being emo about the loss of her idol. They'll show up, it's just going to take some time.

Now watch out! The next chapter will be a first for me. In what respect? Well, you'll have to read to find out, ne?


	10. Rain of Blood

No I don't own Naruto. I would have a better sense of romance...and I think that says something about the current storyline.

Chapter 10 Part 1: Rain of Blood

Frowning, Jiraiya addressed the assembled ANBU with the focus and ability that could be expected of a legendary ninja. This was not the time for jokes; death would follow these men and women tonight. "I have been alerted to a credible threat to Konoha's security. A separatist faction within the village ninja force is acting independently to train unregistered soldiers for their own use. By the charter of Konoha, the leader of this group is partaking in treasonous activities that undermine the unity of the village. For that action, his life is forfeit. This mission is beyond rank; it is a fundamental aspect of your positions. Are you prepared for the information?"

Standing at attention, the twenty elite ANBU agents did not even flinch. One did not gain the rank through stupidity or arrogance. Their training took care of such things, if their records did not. In fact, that was one of the reasons that kept the Hyuga presence within ANBU extremely low. These men and women were here to serve Konoha, and as acting Hokage, Jiraiya had their full trust by definition.

Nodding at the silence, Jiraiya began the briefing, "The target's name is Danzou. At one point, he was a possible candidate for the Third Hokage, but was deemed inferior to the Sandaime. Instead he was put in charge of developing the Black Ops branch of ANBU, code named ROOT, training soldiers that would accomplish the darkest and dirtiest acts for the village. However, his methods were deemed too inhumane and his unit was disbanded. Recently, evidence has been brought to my attention that he rebuilt that unit out of a group of loyalists and orphans. Right now, his numbers are manageable, but if left to develop it could be a disaster. Your mission is to incapacitate and restrain his subordinates for questioning. However, while his presence would make the information department's job a lot easier, Danzou is free game. Unless he surrenders, I want that man dead before sunrise. Is that understood?"

They were true ANBU; the answer was obvious, "Hai, Jiraiya-sama!"

Smirking at show of respect, Jiraiya decided he needed more subordinates like this group. Having such a strong, respectful reaction to his orders was a nice change of pace from cries of 'pervert' or 'Ero-sennin.' That was definitely a project to work on once Tsunade returned. Clearing his throat, Jiraiya started making hand signs, "Now then, it's time to introduce you to the intelligence officer who has managed to infiltrate Danzou's forces. Summoning Jutsu!"

They were ANBU, fearless and loyal, but many would state in later years that getting debriefed by a giant purple toad was the oddest point in their respective careers; at least, until the next couple of Hokage's came along.

-----

Adjusting her hood, Tsunade sipped from the sake cup in satisfaction. There was nothing like relaxing after a long day with an old friend. Although the disguise was a little irritating, that was the price you had to pay for politics.

With the return of the Crone of the Seed, everyone from nobles to farm hands seemed to be getting sick. Of course, living up to her reputation, Tsunade healed most of the issues with minimal trouble, only adding to the legend. Being the politician that he was, the Daimyo was quick to capitalize upon this action, and publicly patronized her efforts, gaining greater support within the country. Although she found such games distasteful, Tsunade couldn't really begrudge him the political capitol. Without his sanctuary, Naruto would probably still be tripping over his own two feet. Instead, the little punk would be ready for dodging practice before too much longer.

Of course, part of solidifying that support was to be associated with him as the Crone. So while they shared a simple dinner as old friends, the blonde Hokage was forced to don her disguise. The whole experience was embarrassing, especially to a woman who so strongly valued her image. Appearing young was one of Tsunade's small vices, like her gambling or drinking, and being stripped of that little security blanket was almost painful. The Daimyo's amusement with the situation was not helping matters at all.

"Really, Tsunade-sama, it's not that bad. So you have a few wrinkles and a bit of gray hair, it looks rather distinguished all things considered." Draining her cup, Tsunade held it out for a refill. "Don't you know the rules of getting old, Daimyo-san? Men become distinguished with gray hair, women become withered. At least I don't have perverted patients trying to grope me like this." Chuckling into his own sake, the Daimyo shook his head in admiration. "What idiot would be stupid to grope YOU during treatment?"

Smiling in nostalgia at the thought of breaking pervert bones, Tsunade countered, "You, my old friend, have obviously never dealt with Jiraiya."

Before he could reply, the two were rudely interrupted by a loud crash. Getting to their feet in concern, the Daimyo and Tsunade were treated to the sight of the royal ninja flying through the door. Tsunade mentally threw out a thank you to Naruto for his help with her hemophilia; with the amount of blood and broken bones present, the attendant was obviously dead.

"So sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid an official appointment was simply impossible to get."

The man entering the room was clearly a ninja. Each step was confident, bordering upon arrogant, despite his slight frame. While the clothing bore no symbol, and the three purple triangle tattoos on his face were unfamiliar, the look in his eyes said it all. This was a man who enjoyed killing, power and fear. Whoever he was, the unknown ninja was definitely trouble.

Bowing in a mocking fashion, the man smiled sinisterly, "I am Renga of the Janin, soon-to-be Daimyo of the Land of Vegetable. Remember that name Crone, for I am to be your new master." Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade prepared to strike the arrogant pup down. "Oh? What makes you think that I would take orders from trash such as yourself?" Cracking his neck, the sinister smile didn't even waver, "Well, a little birdie told me that you have a special patient you're looking after. My younger brothers are currently going to acquire him or her, and any possible guardians. Perhaps their screams will bring you to heel. If not, there are some interested buyers out there for healers at the moment."

Forming a fist, Tsunade scowled; this little punk had just signed his own death warrant!

-----

Enjoying her meal after training, Hinata smiled in contentment. Soon, she would be able to utilize a brand new technique in combat conditions! Shizune-sempai had said her preparations should be ready for a test run in the next week or so! Once this move was perfected, the Hyuga failure could help protect Naruto-kun. She couldn't be happier!

Biting a mouthful of rice, Hinata stiffened; what was this feeling?

"Byakugan!"

Looking up from their own dinners, Shizune and Naruto frowned in concern. Hinata NEVER casually activated the Byakugan. It was a taboo among the Hyuga household to utilize the technique without reason. Apparently, so many people questioned the morals of the clan, that very strict rules about its practice were enforced. If Hinata was using it outside of battle or training, something very bad must have happened.

Eyes widening in shock, Hinata cried out, "There's a dust cloud rising from the palace! Also, two strange chakra signatures of high Chunin to low Jonin rank are approaching from that direction! We might be under attack!"

Frowning, Shizune focused her own senses. While not as inclusive as the Byakugan, all medical ninja were forced to develop their chakra-sensing ability to a much higher degree than normal. Shizune, the apprentice of Tsunade, was of course no exception to this rule. However, as she focused her senses, Shizune couldn't help but let out a gasp. Hinata was right, they were about to be attacked!

Rising quickly, Shizune reached for her weapons pouches, removed after their afternoon practice. "Hinata, you and I are going to intercept them in the field. We are more familiar with this territory from our training over the last few weeks. It's not ideal, but both of our styles rely upon facing an opponent in an open area. Naruto, you are to stay here and if we fall, run towards the castle to get Tsunade-sama."

Jumping up in anger, Naruto snarled, "Like hell I am! I can fight just as well as you two, and three on two is much safer than two on two! I won't just abandon either of you!"

Blushing, Hinata was moved by his passion. Unfortunately, Shizune was not.

"Naruto, you have barely gotten a hold of your chakra, and your hand eye coordination still needs work, let alone your taijutsu. Hinata and I have worked together extensively since your training began, and know each other's styles sufficiently to stand a chance. I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but in your current state you would still get in the way. Please stay here and escape when you can; your safety is our first priority."

Activating her Byakugan, Hinata frowned; the enemy was almost upon them. "Shizune-sempai..."

Seeing the stubborn face that had mastered the Rasengan in a week, Shizune sighed, _Please forgive me, Naruto-kun._ Quickly forming the hand seals, she leapt at the surprised Jinchuuriki, hand outstretched. Before he could do a thing, Naruto found himself prone on the floor, jerking uncontrollably. Shaking her head, Shizune looked at the young ninja in sorrow. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but this is the best that I can do. This is the same technique that Tsunade used against Kabuto, scrambling your nervous system temporarily. It's not as strong though, so you should be able to move around in about twenty minutes. As soon as you regain your motor control, please run to Tsunade-sama. Either we will have dealt with the problem by then, or we will need her to rescue us. Let's go Hinata."

Looking at her crush in concern, Hinata followed Shizune with a frown on her face.

Exiting their home, Hinata and Shizune were treated to the sight of the opposition. Both were dressed in a similar fashion, possessing a clear family resemblance. The shorter one was stocky, with red claw-like tattoo's covering his face. The thinner subject, though, had two tear-drops and a blue triangle on his chin. However, both exuded a strong bloodlust and arrogance that shook the kunoichi to their cores. Clearly, they had a serious fight on their hands.

Cracking his knuckles, the shorter ninja stepped forward without fear. "Greetings ladies; I'm afraid that you will be going down for the glory of the Janin brothers, right Ruiga?" Twirling a tonfa menacingly, the taller one smirked evilly. "Of course, Jiga, they will fetch a fine price, injured or no. Let's show them what we can do. Afterwards, we can look through their scrolls and possessions without fear."

Thinking of Naruto-kun, trapped in the house helpless, Hinata leapt forward without hesitation. There was no time to think, she had to protect him!

-----

Running through the hidden tunnel system, the various ANBU agents couldn't help but be awed by the scope of the complex. To construct such a facility without the standard forces finding out was a monumental task. However, keeping and maintaining its very existence as a secret was downright frightening. If Danzou had the connections, personnel and resources to pull off such a feat, he was someone to respect if nothing else. Clearly, this was not going to be an easy assignment.

Following the information provided by Kosuke, the squad of ANBU split into groups of ten. The first group proceeded to mark each known entrance to the underground lair with barrier seals. No matter what happened today, with this operation ROOT would be finished. Of course, they hoped that this last resort would not be needed, but as ANBU they had to plan for any possibility. The second group gathered around the primary entrance to the lower levels. This was where the training and development of ROOT was carried out. This was where the threat would be finished.

Two of the ANBU Seal Masters stepped forward, preparing their tools. With practiced ease, a three-part matrix was quickly inscribed over the entrance. One part negated any radiating elements from the entrance, preventing security seals from activating. A second level effectively turned the entire door into an exploding tag, allowing quick and easy entrance. The final level, however, focused and directed the force of the blast, preventing injury to the attacking force. Signaling their preparations were complete both stood back, waiting for the operation to start.

Four of the remaining ANBU began making hand seals, staying silent. Soon, twelve clones made from mud, and another four made apparently from wood, stood next to their counterparts. With this initial force, they could maximize their efforts, despite their limited numbers. Plus, with Tenzou's special abilities, capturing enemy ninja without killing them would be significantly simplified. Positioning themselves near the entrance, both Tenzou and a cat-faced ANBU, leaders of their respective squads, signaled to begin.

Nodding, the seal masters made a series of hand seals, before slamming their palms against the intricate brush strokes. With their action, the entrance did not so much explode as disintegrate. Moving quickly, the various clones proceeded to act as vanguard before the ANBU followed, leaving two members as a final line of defense. As soon as the other group was finished with their preparations, the infiltration team would have their back-up. However, this assumed that nothing would go wrong.

Moving quickly, the ANBU began sealing rooms and looking for targets. They were soldiers with a mission, and no matter what the odds, nothing would permit them to fail. Blood would spill, lives would be lost, but Konoha would not fall!

-----

Dodging from side to side, Shizune wondered how things had gotten so out of control. Hinata had taken a preemptive shot at the shorter ninja, while she was left with the skinny one. Although somewhat reckless, dividing their strength was a valid battle tactic, so there was no major issue with the younger girl's behavior. However as the resident Jonin, it was her responsibility to ensure the two Chunin's safety. Therefore, not being able to deal with them quickly was grating on her nerves. Tsunade-sama's state was barely a concern; she was a Sannin, and could handle herself.

However, as a medical ninja, straight combat was not her strength. While Shizune was technically more powerful than her opponent, he clearly outclassed her in killing intent and offensive technique. Most of her taijutsu knowledge and medical techniques were negated by his tonfa, while her projectiles were dealt with by his secondary elemental abilities. Spitting out another stream of poison needles, she bit back a curse at the streams of water deflecting the attack. Despite her irritation, the medic had to applaud his unique skills. Such a technique required specialized ninjutsu, a kekkei genkai, or absurd control training.

Jumping in close, Ruiga smirked sinisterly at the brunet. "Aren't you getting tired of fighting the inevitable? Neither of you two are a match for us, so you might as well give up now. Once our big brother gets your mistress, we'll have all the time in the world to figure out what to do with you. Not to mention the fun we could have with your patient in there. The longer this goes on, the more...creative we will be inclined to be." Shivering at the look in his eyes, Shizune released a cloud of poisonous gas, causing the younger brother to back off, cursing.

Getting some distance, Shizune narrowed her eyes in anger. "Listen here scum; there is no WAY I am letting you anywhere near us, OR Naruto-kun! So either surrender or I will be forced to end you! Do I make myself clear?" Sighing, Ruiga lifted his tonfa in resignation. "Of course the patient is a guy. What else could he possibly be? Very well you little worm; prepare to die!" Swinging the weapons as dowsing rods, the younger Janin brother directed water projectiles at his opponent with abandon. So what if she died? The little medic's corpse could tell nearly as much as her mind could.

Cursing, Shizune thanked Tsunade-sama for her training in dodging. Any good medic learned how to avoid attacks, if only to conserve their strength to heal patients. While the attack was fast, she was able to bend and flow around the rhythm of her opponent's technique with little trouble. More importantly by being focused upon his attack, Ruiga left his defense open. Drawing her arm holster into position, Shizune released a barrage of needles, breaking his offensive with another curse.

This action left the two at an impasse. Shizune was a mid to long range fighter, with a limited arsenal of short range attacks. However, the amount of time they took to perform made the techniques untenable in this fight. Ruiga was a close to mid range fighter, with excellent reflexes that negated most of her offensive weapons. However, his techniques lacked the speed and precision to take Shizune out. With their respective techniques canceling out one another, a stalemate developed that neither side wanted to deal with.

Focusing her chakra, Shizune prayed, _Stay safe Hinata, Naruto. This fight is going to take a while._

-----

Focusing on their task, Jiraiya's ANBU team sealed another room with Tenzou's moukton techniques, the enemies knocked unconscious. Any ROOT operative so far had been mid Chunin at most, thus easily subdued. Mindful of the threats of traps and security measures, each opponent had their chakra network sealed temporary, before being bound with wire and a forced sleep ninjutsu. No, these paltry forces were no problem for elite ANBU.

The other residents of the complex were another story.

Every other room seemed to hold injured, discarded bodies of failed ROOT trainees. Most had been left to die, lying on cots with blank expressions. These surviving children could not have been more than fifteen at the oldest. Often, they suffered from advanced chakra burns, broken bones, and severe lacerations. Many had not received food or water for days. Those were the lucky ones.

The unlucky ones ranged from ten to seventeen years old. Their rooms were significantly colder, and their injuries less obvious. Many seemed peaceful, almost smiling under the preservation seals. These were the dead failures, kept for spare parts or convenient models for medical studies. Unfortunately, to insure no surprises, each room of corpses had to be studied and searched before they could proceed. While these were ANBU, soldiers who killed their feelings and emotions for the good of Konoha, many of them had never seen horror on such a scale before. However, the number of medically trained ANBU was so small it was criminal. While many of them knew a few basic medical jutsu, none of the ANBU had the chakra or stamina to fulfill the mission and save the ROOT failures. The best that they could do was put them to rest, and seal the entrance to protect the injured. Knowing the realities of life, the majority realized that, by the end of the mission, many of those injured kids would be dead, and there was nothing to be done except move faster.

As they proceeded, several of the ANBU pondered the honor left in their village if such atrocities were supported by one in power. While they would follow orders to the letter, and were completely loyal to the Hokage, only now did many of them begin to understand Tsunade's decision. If she or someone she cared for were threatened by such a man, it was only good sense to remove themselves from the battlefield. If those in power followed allowed such actions, then they would be her sword to remove them.

Burrowing into the core of ROOT, these soldiers made a decision. A leader who called for the destruction of such horror was one they would support with their whole heart and soul. Be it Tsunade or Jiraiya, they would remain loyal to their Hokage. Helping the development of a Jinchuuriki was a small quirk, all things considered, and easily endured. However, no matter what tricks Danzou might try to pull, that bastard would end this night.

Seeing the more experienced ROOT members gathering to attack, the clone squad moved as one. The sooner that this mission ended, the sooner they could bring medical help and bathe. After something like this, any ninja would feel unclean, ANBU or not.

-----

Taking a deep breath, the pink haired kunoichi centered herself after taking a soldier pill. Kiba might be strong and dangerous, but he had lost to a sealed Naruto and didn't have Akamaru. If she managed to maintain her cool, this match might not be a total slaughter. Although weaker than the dog ninja, Sakura was most definitely smarter and knew it. She couldn't afford to lose after all of that hard work!

"Oy, are we going to fight? Or do you need to put on some makeup?"

Glaring at the smirking boy in front of her, Sakura cracked her knuckles. That little runt was going down!

Staring at the two opponents, Kurenai again questioned her sanity in promoting such a fight. It might simplify things for the team, but sending a Genin team member to the hospital so quickly after getting them was bad form. Kiba would win, but victory wasn't the point. Proving that Sakura had some potential to the other team members was. She wouldn't be a true replacement for Hinata, but Sakura was all that they had. If the team couldn't function because Kiba or Shino thought she was weak, none of them would manage a D-rank mission, let alone progress to Chunin. So, siting with the Aburame, the Genjutsu Mistress waited for the fight to begin, calculating the odds with both success and failure.

Apparently tired of waiting, Kiba decided not to waste any time. Focusing Chakra to his legs, the Inuzuka launched himself at the pink-haired fan girl with about half his full speed. That was about four times the intensity he had seen Sakura struggle with mere moments ago, and should end things quickly. In fact, if he hurried, he might even manage to get a proper spar out of Shino. This fight wasn't going to accomplish anything except waste his time, so why go all out? Imagine his shock when Sakura dodged easily.

"Surprised, mutt boy? Kurenai-sensei has been sparring with me for nearly three hours. After a quick recharge, I can go a lot faster than what you saw."

Snarling at the insult, Kiba increased his speed accordingly. No one talked down to him and got away with it! Sakura kept her cool, though, and quickly formed hand seals. Three clones formed right next to her, before the group each removed a kunai. Splitting up, each Sakura seemed to send chakra to their legs, accelerating around her opponent. This was the same trick that confused Ino in the Chunin Exams, except, in the forest, Sakura was free to send both herself and the clones to jump off the various trees around the clearing. The tactic was simple, elementary and very effective. In fact, about half of the graduating class might be fooled for a minute or two.

Kiba lasted ten seconds.

Lashing out with a vicious haymaker, Kiba caught the real Sakura under the chin, launching her across the sparring space and dispelling the clones in one move. "Please Sakura that was just sad. I'm an Inuzuka, you stupid bimbo! I could smell the real you within moments after the jutsu was competed, so don't even try such weak techniques against me!"

Unfortunately, due to a negligent Sensei, those 'weak techniques' were all that Sakura had to fight with at the moment.

Hearing Kiba launch himself at her again, Sakura executed a quick replacement technique, hiding in the tree behind his last position. Seeing the tree branch ripped to shreds in a second, she pulled out another Kunai. This was going to be a long fight.

-----

Lying on the floor, all Naruto could feel was betrayal. He had worked so HARD to get stronger, but Shizune-nee-chan wouldn't even give him the chance to prove himself! Sure she might know more about fighting than he did, but that didn't mean that he was a burden! Growing up, the blonde ninja had never felt so strong or confident. But what was the point if those he cared for didn't believe in him?

_Well, actually Hinata-chan seemed to want my help. But Shizune-nee-chan overruled her..._

Naruto had always been alone, and often had trouble relying upon others. Learning teamwork under Kakashi was actually one of the most difficult things he had ever accomplished. Day in and day out growing up, he had to take care of himself to insure his survival. Sure, the Hokage might treat him to ramen occasionally, and Ichiraku was always a special home to him, but no one else seemed to care. More importantly than the status his hiate had given him, Naruto loved being a ninja because it meant he had comrades to rely on and those who could rely on him. Shizune-nee-chan's actions seemed to say she couldn't trust him, and that hurt more than he could have believed.

However, he wasn't the most unpredictable ninja of Konoha for nothing! With all of the stress, and the inability to move, Naruto was forced to use a recently discovered power. He actually began to think things through.

_Ok, so she said that the technique would wear off after twenty minutes, right? That means that it's just a chakra thing, not a permanent thing like those limiter seals. The time limit is probably from the amount of time my own chakra will take to break down her technique. So maybe, if I focus my chakra, I can get up faster! So let's see..._

It was hard, but like Kabuto before him, Naruto quickly tried moving every part of his body to figure out the rewiring. Trying to move the left leg shifted his right hand, his right knee twitched his right foot and so on. While he didn't have the control or experience to use his full range in battle like Kabuto could, that wasn't what he was aiming for. Figuring out the right combination of twitches, Naruto managed to form a seal, and began focusing his chakra.

With his advanced training, intense focus, and unmatched will, Naruto broke the technique within fifteen seconds; a full ten minutes early. Readjusting his senses to normal, the blonde ninja grabbed a kunai. He might not have the raw chakra control to summon one shadow clone, but if there was an attack, summoning a thousand of them would probably be alright at this point. Heading towards the door, Naruto stepped through the front door ready to fight; an action that would change his life, and those around him, forever.

-----

Hinata was outmatched and she knew it. Although he looked rather pudgy, Jiga of the Janin was actually quite fast, and extremely strong. Despite her ability in Juken, the normally quiet Hyuga was hesitant to get in close after seeing her opponent crater the ground with his punches. Trying to get some distance, she threw a brace of kunai and shuriken to buy some time. That was when she made an unwelcome discovery.

Skin changing color, Jiga simply held up an arm and all of the weapons rushed to attach themselves. Changing back, the various projectiles fell to the ground, without leaving a single scratch. Noting her shock, the ninja smirked, "Surprised, you little ant? I've been eating iron since I was a boy, and can control any iron with magnetism as a result. Your weapons are useless against me!"

Looking through her Byakugan, Hinata saw the level of chakra manipulation the technique took and was shocked by its efficiency. Jiga could maintain the magnetic field for HOURS without a major strain, and could switch it off in an instant. While his defense could technically be breached by the Juken, his body was reinforced by the existing iron in his blood, minimizing the damage she could accomplish. Even locking the technique on or off could only last about twenty minutes, and wouldn't accomplish much in a field full of flowers.

What was she going to do?!

Seeing the fear in her eyes, Jiga began to laugh. Breaking spirits, gaining power, generating fear; these were the true wonders of being a ninja! Now to twist the knife just a bit more, and watch that fear become despair!

"Ah, so you're one of those famed Hyuga fighters from Konoha, aren't you? God you're pathetic! If this is the might of the Hyuga, we probably could have taken over Konoha instead of this backwater. Ah well, once you and your friends are taken down, who knows what the future might bring? I'm sure that once we capture your patient, you'll be much more pliable, and a perfect specimen to sell to Kumo; especially after the little jerk starts screaming."

Hinata had been degraded for most of her life. Told to give up, that she was weak, that she was useless; insults against her were old hat by now. However, Jiga made a mistake in his taunts. He threatened the safety of Naruto, the one person that Hinata cared for above all others. To threaten someone who doesn't care for their own wellbeing is one thing, but to threaten their most precious person on top of that? He clearly had rocks for brains.

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Jiga scowled. Where had THAT come from? No matter, he would simply have to wipe that look from her face in one blow! Channeling his magnetic abilities into one arm, Jiga punched into the earth, before drawing a lump of metal nearly one meter in diameter. "Well, if you think you can beat me, try this on for size! Earth Style! Great Iron Dumpling!" Fusing the extracted iron with his chakra, Jiga threw it at the startled Hyuga. Once she dodged, he could simply zip behind her and knock her out during the distraction.

Hinata saw the incoming projectile, and knew she couldn't hold back. It might not be ready, but if she gave in now, Naruto-kun would be hurt! That could not happen! Channeling her chakra, she began to sharpen and focus the energy into her palms. Moving faster and faster, a solid web of energy seemed to form in front of her. Knowing that would not be enough, Hinata poured her entire heart and soul into the technique. A second before the iron ball made contact, she desperately called out the techniques name, praying for success. "Guardian Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms!"

The iron ball tried to force itself past her defense, but couldn't manage to overcome the focused rotational deflection. To the shock of the Janin, his own attack was sent flying right back at his face! Instinctively, he activated his magnetic abilities, but the kinetic force was too great. Despite the armor-like properties his metalic skin gave him, Jiga was still knocked off his feet by the intensity of the impact.

Gasping in exhaustion, Hinata dropped to one knee. The guardian technique was one designed to repel or deflect attacks from prone targets. Since the force was so focused, the deflection force was actually superior to the traditional kaiten rotation. However, the required chakra control and flexibility were insane, and had nearly ripped her arms from their sockets. With a moment to recover, though, she should be able to fight again at full strength.

Unfortunately, Ninja battles were rarely so kind. Getting back up, Jiga was murderous. Reaching into his pack he withdrew a set of kunai, flinging them at the Hyuga with reckless abandon. Forcing herself to stand, Hinata began the deflection technique once again. However, there were two problems with this action. One, the kunai were not aimed at her, they were aimed at her legs. Two, each kunai knife had an exploding tag attached to its end.

The resulting force blew Hinata off her feet, almost knocking her out on the door of the hut. Glaring at the white-eyed bitch, Jiga growled, "You think that I'm going to forgive this? Forget what big brother wants! I'm going to get in there, find this guy, and rip him to pieces right in front of you! Then, we'll sell you to Kumo to be a baby factory, right after ripping your eyes out to sell separately! That'll teach you to mess with Jiga of the Janin!"

Blood pounding in her ears, Hinata focused her Byakugan with everything she had. Even as blood vessels popped, she did not care. This, this THING was threatening something precious to her. Even if she failed at everything else in her life, the normally shy Hyuga would not fail now. This wasn't for her, or to keep the Byakugan out of Kumo; she had to defeat this monster to save Naruto-kun! Even if it cost her life, Jiga would die!

Seeing the ninja in front of her moving, once again protected by his metallic skin technique, Hinata concentrated every ounce of vision on her enemy. Getting to her feet, she once again focused her chakra to her palms. Breathing in deeply, the normally shy Hyuga rushed forward, moving faster than any other point in her life. Interestingly enough, with the normally three hundred and fifty nine degree vision of the Byakugan focused upon a single point, each tenketsu and pathway of the opponent's chakra network lit up like the sun. She could almost determine Jiga's actions from the subtle flex and shift of his energy to feed the metal skin jutsu. Although if she could read his movements, then she could stop him!

For the first time in her history, Hinata unleashed her full rage at an opponent. Never before had she fought with such hatred, and for a single moment, she wallowed in it. Getting under the surprised Jiga's guard, Hinata accidentally developed a new technique. Pity the recipient was in no position to admire the beauty of it. Growling with each hit, Hinata sent out beams of chakra, forward this time to attack instead of using them to deflect, striking the pathways around the heard directly. "YOU SHALL NOT TOUCH NARUTO-KUN! DIE!" With each enraged word, Hinata unleashed a deadly attack that liquefied sections of the heart's chakra pathways. Five hits completely destroyed the organ, while the sixth and final attack blew the remaining gore through Jiga's back like a squashed tomato. Staring at nothing, the iron ninja fell, shaking the earth with his passing.

Dropping in exhaustion, Hinata could barely breathe. Before, she had always managed to disable any opponents she faced, or allowed her teammates to deal with them. But this time, she had fought to kill, and enjoyed the act. With her new power, the normally kind Hyuga had managed to defeat her enemy with precision, even if it lacked the emotionless mindset many Hyuga sought. She had lost control, and had taken her first life. She felt sick...

"Hinata-chan?"

Forcing herself to stand, Hinata turned, seeing a surprised Naruto standing in the doorway.

-----

Naruto was shocked beyond normal speech, and with a kid like him that was saying something. When he had opened the door, the normally hyperactive ninja had expected a situation where the others were winning, but needed some help. However, watching Hinata-chan deflect a metal boulder into her opponents face was just shocking. Juken had never seemed so violent, even when Neji used it to beat him senseless, and the technique was not something he ever thought Hinata-chan could pull off so easily. She looked really amazing, and he couldn't help but notice his heart beating somewhat faster.

However, the second technique made her first attack seem like nothing. With only six palm strikes, Hinata had literally blown her opponent's heart to pieces. Now as a ninja, Naruto was used to death and had dealt with it several times already. Even acknowledging Hinata as a nice girl, he didn't fail to remember the truth of their shared profession. They were ninja and would be expected to kill. Perhaps her method had been a little bloody for a Hyuga, but Hinata's killing of the enemy didn't really faze him. It was the fact she did so while screaming she would protect him.

No one had ever killed to protect him that he could remember.

Oh, Naruto had seen others FIGHT for his safety. Iruka had nearly lost his life against Mizuki preventing him from dying. Tsunade had taken a sword to the chest to protect him from Orochimaru. Even Sasuke had taken hits for him, both from Haku and Gaara. But each had their own motivations and ideals outside of just his life, and that tempered the feeling somewhat. Hinata, however, had fought to kill not because they were comrades, but because he was Naruto. It shook him deeply in the core of his being, and unknowingly pushed Hinata forward on his list of important people.

It was easy to die for someone; killing for them was an entirely different ballgame.

Keenly aware that Shizune-nee-chan had just finished off the second opponent during that moment of surprise, Naruto started slowly walking towards the Hyuga heiress. Calling out her name again, getting a feeling for each syllable that defined one of his now dearest friends, Naruto was jolted by her sudden attention. The girl was nearly as short as him, appearing so frail and delicate, stared at first her hands and then his eyes. The happiness held there at his presence startled him, bringing only one word to his mind.

_Beautiful..._

Stepping forward herself, the tired Hyuga let loose a smile the seemed to blow Sakura's out of the water. "Naruto-kun! Oh thank goodness you're safe..."

Cutting off, the little kunoichi opened her mouth in almost comical surprise, before falling forward like a puppet with her strings cut.

"Oops, maybe I should have waited a moment?"

Looking over to the edge of the clearing, Naruto couldn't quite grasp the reality at hand. Hinata, someone who had already done so much for him, had fallen with a kunai in her back. Arm still outstretched a final enemy appeared before the two remaining ninja, his evil smile at odds with the number of apparent injuries he sported. "Well, it looks like my luck just improved. While my idiot brothers might have fallen, I still get a healers apprentice, an unsealed Hyuga, and a hostage. Not to mention any scrolls that stupid crone kept here."

Stepping forward, the taller ninja barely spared a glance at the fallen comrades dispatched by Shizune and Hinata. "I think that it's time to take charge of the situation, ne? I hope you enjoyed the warm-up because compared to those weaklings I, Renga of the Janin, am much more dangerous."

-----

Dun, dun, DUN!!!!!

Bwahahahahaha! My first cliffhanger! Ain't I a stinker ? :)

Oh, don't worry about it, I already have the next part planned out, and hope to get it posted soon. Unfortunately, this chapter was getting too big, and I thought that cutting it down to size would simplify the situation. Besides, there was plenty of death here, and more is to come quite soon. Oh, and that scene at the end? THAT is probably the point where Naruto became so devoted to Hinata, so while I will write in a few more WAFFy scenes for other female characters, this is going to be the defining moment. Besides, the scene is far from over, and more shit is about to hit the fan. Although, if too many more characters die like Jiga, I might have to up the rating on the story -_-;;;

Oh, and for those Naruto/Shizune fans (and I know that you exist), sorry but he's going to have issue with the girl for a bit. Not for very long, but there will be some discomfort. Losing the faith of important people always hits the kid kinda hard, and this will be no exception. Besides, while I always thought that Shizune liked Naruto well enough, I never really thought that any major sparks would occur. The assisted bathroom trips were just too much fun to ignore, though. ;)

Now, for the next chapter, we have the final confrontation of the Janin, the fate of the Daimyo, Danzou's last stand, and of course, the unleashing of Inner Sakura! Not to mention the awakening of a new technique! Prepare to have your socks blown off as we wrap up the Vegetable arc, and begin the true master plan!  
***insert evil laughter!***


	11. Cleansing Flame

No I don't own Naruto. Who would want to draw that many bandages, anyways?

Chapter 10 Part 2: Cleansing Flame

Renga forced a smile, hoping to mask his pain. Who the hell knew that old medical ninja could be so tough? That bloody Crone of the Seed had nearly killed him in seconds, shielding the Daimyo the whole time. No matter how hard he tried, every technique was ineffective against her control or monstrous strength. Damn, if not for the impossibility of it all, the eldest Janin might have thought himself fighting Tsunade of the Sannin!

Yeah, like that would happen.

It was only thanks to a lucky poisoned kunai throw that he wasn't in the dirt right now. The Crone had easily dodged the projectile, unaware it had been aimed to deflect off the ceiling and into the Daimyo's shoulder. Realizing the severity of the wound, she had broken off her attack to treat the injury. However, that poison was among the most effective provided by Grass Country, and nearly untreatable once in the bloodstream. She would have to be the legendary Slug Princess just to stabilize the injury, let alone save his life. The leadership of Vegetable was as good as his. Provided, of course, the Crone didn't kill him first.

Hence, Renga's rapid retreat towards the hidden hut. The only possible way to regain control of the situation was the judicious use of hostages. Besides, if that was ineffective, the Janin brothers had worked together for years, and used team attacks that multiplied their potential effectiveness by a factor of ten. Hopefully, that combination of facts would lead to victory if the Crone gave up on her patient and sought revenge. That was the plan, anyways, for all the good that did him.

Jiga and Ruiga had been killed by a pair of little girls! The iron-user had his heart liquefied, while the tonfa wielder lost sight of his target and was stabbed through the neck. Even with the little freaks doujutsu, the name of the mighty Janin brothers would never live this humiliation down! Both brothers were lucky they were already dead, or he'd have killed them himself! Ah well, time to move on.

The good news was that the effort had worn the opposition out. The shorter one he had stabbed with the Kunai was on her last legs, nearly drained of Chakra. The taller, probable Jonin-level medical ninja had used most of her arsenal of weapons against Ruiga's water defense. Sure, he might have taken a couple of hits from that old bat, but he didn't have anyone to defend. Something that judging from the brunet's sudden aggression was their true weakness.

Sidestepping the precise attack, Renga jumped over the kunoichi, sighing. Medical ninja might be excellent dodgers, but each usually had a fairly limited set of offensive techniques. If this one was a weapon user, her ability to attack was cut in half without any tools. I mean, who the hell tries to do taijutsu in heels? Lashing out with his arm, the last Janin knocked her across the field, lying prone on her side.

Looking at the shocked blonde, Renga had to guess that was the special patient they had heard about. He didn't seem very coordinated and had only the one weapon, so the brat probably wasn't a fighter. Besides, what proper ninja would be caught dead in bright orange? Most likely, the kid was some noble's son in hiding or some such rubbish. Stalking forward, the evil man couldn't help but chuckle; this was almost too easy! At least his brother's pathetic ends served SOME purpose!

Cocking his head to the side, the ninja addressed his new prey. "I hope you are ready to surrender. Your end doesn't have to be as unsightly as these losers, ne?"

Blinking, Renga narrowed his eyes in confusion and irritation. Did that little shit just GROWL at him?!?!

-----

Franticly channeling chakra into her palms, Tsunade cursed her own arrogance. Missing that reflected attack was a beginner's mistake, and now one of her dearest friends was in danger. 'Widows Blush' was one of the nastiest poisons Grass produced, and way out of the budget for the average missing ninja. Using a weapon like that marked these 'Janin' as major players, and opponents which she should have known by heart. This was not the sort of mistake a Hokage could make!

Controlling her breathing, the Slug Princess observed the stream of brackish blood seeping from the offending wound. Widows Blush was very fast acting, so the only way to safely deal with it was to remove the affected blood, while isolating the bodily fluids around the injured area. The volume of control required for this maneuver was beyond most medical professionals, resulting in the poison's fearsome reputation. As it was, she practically had to induce a temporary coma to insure the Daimyo's survival. Luckily, due to her quick actions, the ruler of Vegetable would live. He wouldn't feel great for a few days, but he would live.

Poisons were actually one of her specialties. During the Third Great Ninja War, Chiyo-baa-sama of the Sand had specialized in some of the nastiest concoctions known to man. It had been Tsunade's primary duty during the offensives against the Wind Country to counter the elder Suna kunoichi's attempts at wiping out Leaf Ninja platoons with chemical and biological weaponry. Their constant scientific conflict led to some of the greatest advances in the field for the last fifty years, and cost countless ninja on both sides their lives. In fact, due to her old nemesis s creativity, Tsunade had almost developed an instinctive ability to counter any poison with the slightest of preparations.

Unfortunately most poison extractions were done using a medium, usually hot water. Since she didn't have the time or resources to get such materials, pure chakra manipulation was the only thing keeping the Daimyo alive. Not only did this take longer, but it was four times as draining. Unless she finished extracting the Widows Blush soon, the great Sannin might just have to fall from chakra exhaustion. Based upon where Renga had ended up, she couldn't afford such an act. It was only on the tip of her senses, but her apprentices were clearly in danger!

Shizune was stronger than Renga, but Tsunade could barely feel her first apprentice's chakra. That probably meant the little prick had friends who had already attacked the hideout. Hinata was coming along nicely, but she couldn't trust Naruto's survival on a hunch or a chance. God forbid the little hellion decided to get involved himself! However, the Daimyo had been her friend for years, so it wasn't like she could abandon him. This was the sort of no-win situation that had made her hesitate in taking that stupid hat in the first place!

Gritting her teeth, Tsunade stomped on the floor, jostling the sake bottle into the air. Taking a tiny amount of chakra, the legendary medic focused the energy into her hair, knocked loose in her rush to save the Daimyo. The enhanced threads shattered the bottle, spraying its payload across the prone figures. Acting as quickly as she could, Tsunade gathered the precious liquid around her hands, creating a makeshift medium across the wound. It was crude, and they both smelled like a distillery now, but the process was sped up by a factor of ten. Just enough time to finally get ahead of the injury.

Tripling her concentration, Tsunade prayed that Naruto's recently awakened intelligence would make him run from the bastard. In his current state, she would bet everything in their funds that he would be ripped to shreds in a real fight. However, with his help, she might be able to heal the Daimyo faster and get down there to fight. After all, such a conflict was clearly suicide.

Then remembering who she was talking about, Tsunade began to rush the extraction as much as she dared.

-----

Breathing heavily, Tenzou marshaled his remaining forces. The last batch of ROOT ninja had all been much more talented than the previous attacks had indicated. Already, the entire clone vanguard had been shattered and three of his compatriots were left unmoving on the floor. The good news was that no other ROOT members appeared to be coming, meaning this was the last line of defense. The bad news was the opposition were now fully aware of their numbers, abilities and held the home field advantage.

While he had successfully infiltrated the base, Jiraiya-sama's summon had not discovered the numerous traps carefully hidden throughout the place. The ANBU squad had managed to bypass most of the outer defenses, but the last few hallways were full of panels of gas and weapons. In addition, numerous seals were hidden under the paint, ranging from barriers to the exploding variety. Although several of the ANBU were sealing masters, circumventing these last hurdles was a time consuming process; time they really didn't have. The longer it took to contain their target, the greater chance for him to escape.

The major concern was Danzou's possible final solution. As ruthless and creative as this man appeared to be, it wouldn't surprise him if the entire complex was lined to implode on command. Given the size and positioning of the place, Konoha itself could be seriously damaged by such action. They had to stop this madman before the village suffered for his ambition! If he was willing to kill children to create his personal ninja army, who knew how far he would be willing to go?

Luckily, most of the complex had already been contained, and the ROOT recruits immobilized. He hadn't been keeping track, but Tenzou wouldn't have been shocked if nearly a hundred possible ninja candidates had been captured. If they could be deprogrammed, Konoha would have a significant boost to its forces. However, the last and most powerful members of Danzou's elite guard still had to be overcome before this could end. It was time to finish this.

Signaling to Cat with nod, Tenzou formed his hand signs to break the attack. Branches suddenly rushed forward, tripping the attacking ROOT members and breaking their ninjutsu assault. Quick to capitalize upon their confusion, Cat drew her blade while following the wooden barrage. With a few quick slashes, the ROOT soldiers were lying on the ground, bleeding, dead or both. Binding the injuries of the survivors as best as he could, Tenzou began to proceed into the final heart of the complex, Cat right on his tail.

Comrades had fallen, innocents had died and minds had been scarred; he would be damned if that old bastard got away on top of everything else!

-----

Naruto could barely breathe in his rage. That...that utter BASTARD had hurt Hinata-chan and Shizune-nee-chan! How DARE he stand there, looking like he owned the place! This was the special home where they had lived and grown as ninja's and friends! Someone like that, who didn't even seem to care about his comrades deaths didn't deserve to be here! He would pay!

The normally hyperactive ninja tried to restrain himself from knocking the bastards block off. Right now, getting angry and flying off the handle wouldn't accomplish anything. Without his normal chakra abilities, Shadow Clones were out of the question, so a direct assault was not happening. Tsunade-baa-chan hadn't had the time or inclination to improve his throwing abilities, so launching a kunai wouldn't accomplish anything. All he might be able to do in his current condition was act as a decoy to draw the jerk away from Hinata-chan, so Shizune-nee-chan could try to heal her.

Eyes focused on the last Janin brother, Naruto bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He hated this man so much right now, but couldn't afford to lose control. If he tried to fight like he normally did, those precious to him would be hurt or killed. He might be a little naive and careless, but the blonde Jinchuuriki hated seeing his friends injured. If they were going to survive, he had to act like a ninja for once, and not some little kid! Thank goodness he had finally managed to develop some minor amounts of patience.

Then Renga crossed the line.

Reaching over, the eldest Janin brother ripped the kunai from Hinata's back, causing a brief scream of pain. Naruto idly noted the area around the wound seemed almost charred and blackened, matching the descriptions of frostbite he had read about. Looking down at the little Hyuga, Renga smirked. "Well, she might be a bit on the puny side, but Kumo just wants her for her eyes. Even if she can't fight, that won't matter if she's just pushing out kids, ne? After all, that's all such a weakling is good for." That, was the point that Naruto snapped.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto's fists tightened in rage. Even if he couldn't use chakra, throw correctly, or just put up much of a fight, it did not matter. He would rip that bastard's head off if it was the last thing that he ever did!

Not realizing how much his anger was causing him to focus, Naruto began to pull at his chakra. For the first time in over a month, mind, body and soul were working as one for a single objective. This tattooed freak had hurt Hinata-chan and called her weak! He was a threat to not only himself, but those precious to him! That could not be allowed to continue!

Not noticing the building blue aura surrounding him, Naruto began to step forward. He would END this Renga, save Hinata-chan, and protect everybody! He was Uzumaki Naruto, and he was no one's bitch!

-----

Now, just for a moment, let us review a few pertinent facts about our favorite blonde.

Firstly, he is extremely protective about those he sees as friends. To prevent those he cared for from being injured, Naruto had taken hits that would kill a normal person. The safety of others was one of the driving forces of his personality. To insure other people's happiness, Naruto would do anything, from facing Orochimaru to leaving his crush crying in his rival's arms. Therefore, if you were the person who hurt those precious to him, you should prepare for a slow death.

Secondly, Naruto was blessed with an insane level of muscle memory. While barely able to READ, he had reverse engineered one of the most dangerous skills in the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing through sheer hard work and willpower. Once he learned something, his body would react by using the technique from pure instinct. While this made his reeducation in taijutsu somewhat difficult, it did permit him to retain what he learned without thinking about it.

Finally, there is the fact that Naruto had an ABSURD amount of chakra! With the seals removed, years of stored potential were his for the taking. The only reason that most of his technique library didn't work was the fact that he couldn't really control his power yet. Honestly, with the values involved, using the substitution technique was similar to filling a tablespoon with a blasting fire hose. Until his control was improved, most of the basic techniques were lost to him, and the advanced ones had too much potential to damage the country side.

Now, Renga of the Janin has severely injured and insulted people important to him. Naruto had tons of power but very few ways of safely using it. However, out of pure instinct and rage, his body has previously preformed one technique that could solve his problem in an instant. In fact, this one technique almost requires more power than he can possibly harness in his current condition. Consciously or not, he can tap into that power again when motivated; something that the last of the Janin just accomplished.

Poor, poor, IDIOTIC Renga.

-----

Roaring with his entire soul, Naruto focused every thought of hate and rage at the arrogant missing ninja. Responding to his will, the blue aura surrounding him formed a single arm of pure power, launching Renga across the field into a tree. Gasping, Renga was almost knocked unconscious. The pressure the chakra was applying to his sides was monstrous, and took everything he had just to retain his senses. Meeting Naruto's gaze, he whispered, "Just what ARE you?" Growling, Naruto didn't even bother to answer with words. Such scum didn't deserve that courtesy.

Suddenly realizing that the technique was actually draining his energy, something that hadn't happened much since his rehabilitation had begun, Naruto knew he had to wrap things up. Still angered at Hinata's treatment, he decided to make the kill homage to her own actions. As the primary limb pinned his arms, two other smaller arms formed. One grabbed Renga's neck, while the other positioned itself over his chest. The eldest of the Janin died as both his heart was ripped from his chest, and head torn from his neck at the same time. The shower of blood was so intense, that it almost painted fifteen feet of the flower field a deep crimson.

The entire confrontation took a grand total of three minutes, and at no time during it did Naruto harness the strength of the Kyuubi chakra.

Looking on clearly in massive shock was Shizune. Matching his gaze, she seemed to flinch before shaking her head and proceeding to Hinata's side. Feeling lightheaded after attacking Renga with the Chakra Cloak, Naruto hurried over as well. Hinata had done so much for him, and he would feel like an utter heel if he did nothing. Maybe all those bloody medical techniques that Tsunade-baa-chan had made him study would be good for something!

However, upon reaching the side of the smaller kunoichi, Naruto frowned. The injury did look like frostbite, but a really advanced case of it. Some of the pictures in his study materials described cases where limbs had to be removed before the putrid flesh damaged the rest of the biological systems. Based upon the injuries location and level of damage, Hinata might lose the use of her arm and shoulder. Hopefully, with Shizune-nee-chan there, something better could be done. Nothing in his training prepared the young Chunin for this sort of damage.

However as the young medical ninja's face began to fall after performing her scan, Naruto started to get worried. Shaking her head Shizune sighed, before meeting Naruto's gaze in defeat. "I don't know what I can do, Naruto-kun. This level of injury is very bad and while I can heal it, I lack the needed chakra to finish the job. Something this severe usually requires at least four healers working in synch. Maybe when Tsunade-sama comes back, she can help her." Shaking his head in denial, Naruto nearly growled again. "No, Shizune-nee-chan! The longer that we leave this wound untreated, the more dangerous it is to Hinata-chan! There has got to be something we can do!"

Wincing at the volume, Shizune shook her head. "It's not about skill, but chakra. Those enemy ninja were very difficult to deal with, and defeating just one of them took nearly everything I had. The severity of the injury requires more chakra than I can generate, and without that extra power, the best I can do is stabilize her. Hopefully, if we stretch the treatments over a couple of months, she should be fine." However, Naruto was nothing if not quick-witted these days. "Then use MY chakra! Tsunade taught me that chakra sharing technique right after testing my energy levels. I've got tons of the stuff, and if you can direct it, Hinata should be fine, right?"

Blinking at the news, Shizune smiled, "She taught you the Battery Pulse technique? That is mostly theory at the moment." Shrugging in impatience, Naruto frowned. "Yeah, something about lacking the chakra control to heal people, so I might as well be useful. Now come ON Shizune! We have to hurry!" Nodding her acceptance, the medic positioned her hands over the wound while Naruto preformed the hand seals. Suddenly, a glowing band of blue chakra formed between his hands, radiating with almost painful intensity. Gathering the amplified energy Shizune began the treatment.

The Chakra Battery Pulse, as Tsunade had explained it, forced the donor to concentrate their energy into a tight bandwidth between their hands. This free energy could then be used by a second trained medical ninja to heal wounds they couldn't manage independently. By taking the un-typed energy into their own systems, the medical ninja could control it to form healing energy. While difficult to do in theory, the technique was nearly impossible to use in practice due to the amount of chakra the donor needed to make it effective. Anyone lower than a high Jonin would pass out from chakra exhaustion before healing a paper cut with the technique. However, for a Jinchuuriki with excessive amounts of personal energy, it was the perfect medical technique.

Of course, Shizune was barely prepared for the experience. She had NEVER attempted to channel this much power in her life. Even wasting nearly thirty percent of the effort through bleed off almost fried her chakra pathways. However, the technique worked, allowing her to heal the damage within twenty minutes of starting. Ending the technique, Naruto flopped to the side, exhausted. Shizune only lasted long enough to insure that Hinata was completely recovered, before she too fell. It was all the two ninja could do not to pass out, now that the stress and adrenaline had worn off.

This heap of humanity was discovered by Tsunade when she finally returned to the house, a stabilized Daimyo over her shoulder.

-----

Gasping, Sakura tiredly held a kunai in position, ready to continue. Facing her from across the clearing Kiba looked on, barely winded by the exercise. Viewing the energized dog ninja, Sakura began to appreciate Naruto's fight in the Chunin exams. Here she thought that Kiba was all talk, and he goes and tears her apart for nearly half an hour. This was some of what Naruto was facing during his match? Just how much strength did her old teammate truly have?

The only thing that had prevented her from falling was the newly acquired stamina and strength from all her recent training. If they had attempted this a month ago, Sakura was sure Kiba would have crushed her in seconds. Constantly sparring Kurenai-sensei and Shino had forced her situational awareness to improve drastically, and built up her ability to dodge to a much greater degree. She might not have any new jutsu yet, but like she showed in the Forest of Death, the basics can take you quite far if used properly. However, it was all the young kunoichi could do to block the little voice in her head stating that she had only lasted this long because of Kiba's normal reliance on an injured Akamaru.

Snorting, Kiba looked down his nose at the perspective teammate. "Geeze Sakura, what have you been doing? These attacks are pathetic and way too easy to break. You trained under Kakashi, master of one thousand jutsu, and don't have anything other than the basic three and Academy style taijustu? That's just weak." Gritting her teeth, Sakura couldn't help but agree with his assessment. She had been a Genin for months, but no one besides Kurenai-sensei had even tried to build on her Academy abilities. Skills that she needed to survive, and no one had been willing to teach her. Did she really lack that much potential?

Then Kiba did something very stupid. "God, how did you survive this long? Oh yeah, you had the GREAT and POWERFUL Uchiha protecting you. Knowing him though, I bet it wasn't for free. Tell me Sakura, what did the Uchiha save you during missions for? Was it the bending over for sex, or the willingness to wear a blonde wig during the act?" While thrown out there as a standard Inuzuka battle taunt, Kiba's offhand comment about the Uchiha was the absolutely worst thing he could have said. Just as Sakura had been impressed with Naruto after fighting his old opponent, Kiba was about to discover why Naruto needed demonic healing whenever Sakura got mad.

Growling, Sakura found a new well of strength. This, this PERVERT was taunting her like trash! For all his faults, Sasuke had NEVER tried to use her only for her body, despite what she might have wanted at the time. Now this little DOG had the gall to think she wasn't even good enough herself without looking like Ino...or worse yet, Naruto? At that thought, the little thread of nice girl left in Sakura's mind snapped, and she decided Kiba had to PAY!

Channeling chakra to her legs out of instinct, Sakura lunged forward, snarling. Sighing at her pathetic attack, Kiba stepped to the side, apparently deciding that the tree could take the assault with few problems. No one expected Sakura to lash out like that, and if Kurenai-sensei's disappointed look was any indication, it was a very bad idea. So when the tree shattered into little pieces, the only one not clearly surprised was Sakura. The shocked silence was as welcome as it was telling.

Not letting up, Sakura attacked again and again, each strike seemingly weak. But every impact resulted in craters and area damage far greater than Kiba could manage himself. Reveling in the new sense of power, Sakura ignored the sudden tightening around her opponent's eyes. Smashing another tree, Sakura almost didn't see Kiba's jump through the dust. Consequently she couldn't avoid the strike to her neck, which ended the spar rather abruptly.

Looking over the prone form of the crazy kunoichi, Kiba gulped. "You know? Maybe she can fight a little better than I thought. Hinata sure as hell never knocked over trees during a spar." Coming over to check on her injured student, Kurenai-sensei couldn't help but grin. "With both you and Shino as tracking ninja, maybe Sakura can become a support fighter. It takes amazing control to demonstrate attacks like that, and once I teach her a few genjutsu and build up her endurance, we might be able to handle some border patrols." Clearly remembering the feeling of terror as the little girl knocked over fifty year old trees like dominoes, Kiba nodded in agreement.

-----

Gnashing his teeth in frustration, Danzou reached for a kunai. His perimeter had been breached and forces decimated. Currently, ROOT was nearly fifty Chunin level and twelve Jonin level ninja, a veritable army. The old war hawk had never thought that any opponent would dare to use so many ANBU level ninja to attack someone as well connected as him. Sarutobi had not done so, and Tsunade was too weak to try such an action. Apparently, Jiraiya was made of sterner stuff. This office was well protected, but lacked any hidden escape tunnels, which were too easy to circumvent by enemy forces. This was his safest bunker, but was going to become his grave. Such was the life of a true ninja.

However, before he could end it, two ANBU broke through his door with weapons flying. The kunai was knocked from his grasp and both arms pinned. There would be no simple, easy escape.

Entering through the door with caution were two very important ANBU members. Tenzou was well known to those in power, his bloodline abilities a simple shadow of the Shodaime. However, with his great intelligence and flexible use of those special abilities from Orochimaru, the ANBU captain was a terror on the battlefield. The Cat ANBU, whose proper name was Uzuki Yuugao, was an up and coming sword mistress with significant potential. Those in the know thought she could become a captain within another three years at least. In fact, there was much speculation that she was one of the potential kunoichi to be used for the Uchiha restoration project. Both were skilled, well liked, and leaking a large amount of killing intent. Not a good combination for injured, plotting old men.

Stepping forward, Tenzou stated the situation in a painfully clipped tone. "Danzou of Konoha, you have been found guilty of sedition and treason. By order of Jiraiya, regent of the fifth Hokage Tsunade, you are to be either captured or executed based upon your next action. What will you do?" Gathering his thoughts, the old war hawk plotted. While this raid had destroyed his immediate chances of building a power base to gain the Hokage title, the future was not written in stone. With the knowledge he retained about the various factions in power, it was possible to recover from this with a little power play here or there. Several of the current councilors to the Fire Daimyo were personal acquaintances of his, and the right word properly used could turn the tide of any battle. You simply had to be alive to say that word.

Bowing his head in momentary defeat, Danzou sighed. "Very well, I surrender. Bring me before the Hokage to receive judgment." Seeing his captors tense, the old man hid a smirk. Apparently the simple ANBU had been moved by something to make this personal. Too bad they would be denied the chance to act against him for the moment. However, as they exchanged a look, Danzou couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Tenzou leaving the room and resealing the door did nothing to hinder that emotion.

Watching the kunoichi remove another kunai from her storage pouch, Danzou finally snapped. "What do you think you are doing? You are required to bind me for capture and take me to the Hokage at once!" Cocking her head to the side, Cat's words chilled the once fearsome ninja to the bone. "So sorry, Danzou-san. However, due to some unfortunate proximity to an exploding tag I am unable to hear you. I can only conclude from your excessive movement and body language that you mean to resist. For that, the penalty is death." Pinned as he was, there was nothing that Danzou could do but sweat.

-----

Tenzou waited calmly outside Danzou's office for the next thirty minutes. The remnants of the ANBU squad waited with him, ignoring the cries of pain that had started about five minutes ago. Since they were clearly from a male, Cat didn't need any assistance. Although a few felt somewhat ashamed; taking only twenty five minutes to crack under torture? This Danzou must have lost his touch.

Observing the Cat ANBU exiting the room, covered in blood, Tenzou simply asked. "Is it finished?" Nodding in resignation, she held up two sealing scrolls. "Yes sir. Danzou and his severed head have been safley acquired. I would recommend that the sealing masters look over the security of the room before retrieving his files. We have no intelligence as to what sort of protections are in place." Gesturing to the ninja in question to begin, Tenzou addressed the rest of the force. "Our mission is accomplished. Danzou is dead after resisting capture, and his base is now under our control. The next objective is to get the surviving ROOT forces to T & I and the failed graduates to a secure medical facility. Let's go."

Silent behind their masks, the ANBU moved as one. There was still so much left to be done.

-----

Councilor Daisuke smirked at the sight before him. The three Janin brothers had gathered the various officials from across the Land of Vegetable, using the official seal of the Daimyo. Already, several people not involved in the plot were shifting, nervous about the missing leader and unknown figures on the dais. Finally, upon seeing the room was filled with all the summoned officials, Renga stood. "People of Vegetable! We, the Janin Brothers, do hereby decree our leadership of your land. Before we end things today, you will swear loyalty to your new masters, or face destruction!"

Cries of outrage filled the room, as ten of the most loyal subordinates of the Daimyo stood in protest. Daisuke smiled at the look on Councilor Hiro's face, a massive blowhard who had blocked many of his subtle political maneuverings. "What outrage is this? We are the loyal retainers of Vegetable, recognized under the current legitimate Daimyo! How DARE you just waltz in here and claim authority over us? Once our leader hears about this, you will be wiped out!"

Chuckling darkly, Ruiga twirled his tonfa idly. "What are you talking about? You don't have a leader anymore; big brother wiped him out yesterday. All you have is some stuck up princess who is trapped in a foreign country with two body guards. Nothing we have to worry about, ne? Besides, I don't think everybody here really minds us taking over that much, right?"

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to prove his loyalty to the new regime, Daisuke stood and, to the shock of many present, bowed deeply. "All hail the new leaders of Vegetable! May your rule be grand and powerful!" Spurned by his action, the other coconspirators acted in concert, swearing their loyalty to the Janin without a thought. Spurned by the response, and the hungry looks the three ninja gave them, many of the weaker-willed councilors joined the movement, swearing loyalty to the new rulers as well.

In the end, the threats and Daisuke's demonstration gained the brothers the support of all but those ten councilors led by Hiro. Stammering in rage, the elder statesman glared at the room. "What you have all done is nothing less than TREASON! Even if the Daimyo is really dead, we should support his daughter, not some upstart ninja! You will go to hell for this sin!" Cracking his knuckles, Renga smirked, "Well old man, you really want proof of our actions? I think that it's time to show you all the proof you will ever need."

Gesturing to the door, a guard quickly opened the portal, to reveal the healthy and very angry Daimyo of Vegetable; who just so happened to be surrounded by a score of loyal guards. Looking up in shock, Daisuke was treated to the sight of the Janin brothers transforming into three kunoichi! Meeting his look with a death glare, the blonde growled. "Now that we have discovered the collaborators in this little plot, Daimyo-san, I think that some punishment is in order. Do you agree?" Smirking in an uncharacteristically evil way, the Daimyo of Vegetable nodded firmly. "Indeed, Tsunade-sama. Although the paperwork might get a little out of control with only ten councilors left. But what are a few beheadings to insure some loyalty?"

Realizing that the Daimyo had not only called for their deaths but named the woman Tsunade, and what exactly that entailed, Daisuke did the only thing he could. He fainted dead away.

-----

Pondering the barrier before it, the Kyuubi couldn't help but smile in anticipation. While the pressure on it's mind was building again, a way out of this problem had presented itself. It was simple, elegant and just plain perfect. Plus, knowing its' prison, the fox wouldn't have to wait very long to enact his plan. With this in mind, the giant fox spirit once again began to focus past the dangerous lassitude the seal induced.

When that little meat-puppet had over done it with his reserves, the additional barriers around the cage had weakened. The blue barrier had nearly burned out, while the supporting chains began to crack. Now, while his recovery was rebuilding these defenses, it was now apparent what could be done to take out the little rat. Wait until he gets into a particularly bad fight, and flood its power past the barrier! Either it could kill the little punk, or reestablish his control over the environment! It was a perfect solution!

Unmindful of the stress its brain was under to constantly stay awake, the Kyuubi planned its self destructive strategies. As soon as the barrier was weakened, it would establish dominance in the little bastard's soul, and truly be reborn! With the container's luck, he would be fighting for his life in a matter of days! Once again, the Kyuubi would make its mark on the world, and no pathetic humans or deceitful Uchiha's would change that. True victory would be the Fox Lord's!

-----

Author's Notes

Yay! One of the jerks I hate more than anything in the world is dead! I am so happy right now, I could burst!

Well I hope that this chapter was bloody enough. I know some readers were getting kind of bored with constant training and deliberations. Now you get multiple character deaths and power-ups! Isn't this a nice change of pace? Hopefully, the numerous death threats I received after the cliffhanger will be retracted. Oh, and let's give a warm shout out to my number one fan girl 'lifeisawesome'. Such enthusiasm is central to my inspiration on this work :)

At this time, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has shown interest in the story. The number of people who have this as a favorite story or under an alert is truly mindboggling. I can only hope to maintain the level of quality that you enjoy, while moving forward. Let me tell you, I will be thrilled to leave the Land of Vegetable. It's getting so bloody boring!

Oh, and please review. I try to respond to any particularly interesting questions, but every time that someone messages me or comments on my work, the need to write increases. Just throwing that out there ;) That being said, I direct any paring questions to the blurb currently on my profile page. Hopefully, that is clear enough to get my point across.

Now, let's see what the fall out is shall we? After all, those stupid advisors just HAD to stay out of the evil lair that night *grumbles*


	12. Damage Control

No I don't own Naruto. I would have left Kakashi dead.

Chapter 11: Damage Control

Staring at the innocent little piece of paper, Jiraiya scowled in anger. What had the old man been thinking allowing that monster so much freedom? Surely he had to know that Danzou was a danger to the populace and the stability of Konoha. True, the Toad Sage had known that the old bastard was a menace, but the numbers in front of him were not just damning, they were horrifying! This was way beyond a simple mistake!

The loss of five ANBU was a shame, but somewhat acceptable. However, the number of dead ROOT candidates was obscene! How had that old bastard gotten nearly two hundred children for his barbaric training? Could Konoha's infrastructure really not notice that many kids missing, or not care about the one hundred and forty seven dead possible ninja? All of that potential wasted by the manipulations of an obscenely old ninja with delusions of grandeur.

Honestly, it was too bad that Cat was unable to hear his pleas for clemency, even after half an hour of torture. The remains the ANBU provided spoke of a very unpleasant experience. But Danzou wasn't the strongest person around, and couldn't properly enjoy the treatment. Now if he had gotten his hooks into the dried up old mummy, Jiraiya would have insured the death would have been properly slow and drawn out. While it was politically expedient to have him killed for resisting arrest, on a personal level Jiraiya couldn't help but be pissed. Sighing, the Toad Sage put down the mission report and began looking over the retrieved documentation from ROOT. While someone in Danzou's position wouldn't commit much to paper, a lot could be inferred just by reading between the lines. Even an ANBU commander couldn't keep track of every supply shipment or weapons requisition. Unfortunately, since most of it was in code and the Cryptology Department was still not fully cleared of enemy factions, Jiraiya had to read it piece by piece. Given the disorganized nature of the surviving files, the Sannin was equally likely to locate blackmail material on the head of the civilian supply depot to training schedules for the ROOT program.

However, after nearly an hour of deciphering various forms, both mundane and not, he began to get an understanding of the situation. Right after the Kyuubi attack, Danzou submitted the proper paperwork to establish an orphanage through a series of proxies. Over the next four years, he used his remaining loyal forces to reopen sections of the ROOT headquarters, and began vetting possible candidates from the children left in his care. With the disorganized chaos of the village after the attack, it was not surprising that few people were interested in some homeless kids. With the way things had been set up, Danzou practically had the beginnings of an army handed to him.

What was worse was any time that a child with particularly strong potential was noticed; he or she was transferred to Danzou's orphanage. The other caretakers were less than interested in the welfare of their charges, and appeared to let children go for a song sometimes. This pulled more powerful trainees into ROOT and further weakened the village's combat potential. No wonder the graduation level had dropped to thirty three percent! With the dregs left for the academy, only children with ninja families or clans could really stand out enough to pass!

The horrible part was Jiraiya's suspicion about the Sandaime's motivations. The only child, according to this paperwork, that Danzou could never get his clutches on was Naruto. Five attempts had been made to transfer him into the ROOT orphanage, and each was blocked by the old monkey. While it was all well and good for him to try to protect the kid, it almost looked like he was compromising with Danzou! He was the Hokage! No matter how tired he was, Sarutobi-sensei should have put an end to this nonsense YEARS ago!

Shaking his head ruefully, Jiraiya restrained himself from smashing the desk in two. If these numbers were accurate, Danzou would have had a force capable of matching ANBU within two years, and a superior force within three. If not for his quick action, over ten times the number of ANBU would have died to shut that lunatic down. No matter how much he respected his teacher, Jiraiya was almost tempted to use forbidden jutsu to resurrect him so he could shake some sense into the bastard. They should have dragged Tsunade back YEARS ago to be Hokage if this was the sort of problem Sarutobi was letting slip him by. The only good thing to come of this debacle was another fifty potential ninja to bolster Konoha's flagging ranks.

Leaning back in the big comfy chair of doom, the Toad Sage began to review his next course of action. Covering this up would help Konoha as a whole safe face, but that didn't really appeal to him. Too many people had been hiding too much these last few years, and such actions led to creatures like Danzou staying in power. However, if the old fossil's downfall was presented to the village as an example of why you didn't mess with the sitting Hokage, things might go a little easier for him in the near future.

That, of course, led to his biggest headache in the form of the Advisor's Council. Both Homura and Koharu were the driving force that had removed Naruto in the first place. With Danzou gone, their ability to sneak around in the shadows was severely limited by the lack of ROOT resouces. In fact, just from their association and recent actions, Jiraiya could theoretically put them down for treason without blinking an eye. He was not Sarutobi-sensei, and had a much more pragmatic view about past accomplishments versus recent activities.

However, unlike Danzou the Advisor's Council had maintained their public image and connections. If both were suddenly killed, it would generate massive political headaches both in Konoha and internationally. They might be annoying old goats, but both had developed reputations that they had no problem using to their advantage. The backlash from the Daimyo alone would be enough to tie him up for weeks. Honestly, killing them would generate nearly as many problems as keeping them alive!

No, to deal with those old farts he needed them alive but neutralized. Not only would too many issues come up with just killing them, but Homura and Koharu would make obvious leaders of any anti-Hokage faction. This would make it easier for him to keep tabs on his opposition. The key thing though, was to keep them so occupied that they couldn't interfere with any of the day to day operations in the village. Now, what activity could take up an absurd amount of time, but still serve some legitimate purpose?

Grinning, Jiraiya started rubbing his hands together in glee. This was going to beat that prank with the toad oil, swimsuit collection and hula dancer's right out of the water!

-----

Keeping her face blank, Tsunade didn't even wince as the head hit the ground. The traitor who had been executed was one of the direct collaborators with the Janin. His selfish actions not only endangered the life of one of her oldest friends, but her team as well. If there was one lesson that the Slug Princess had learned from the Great Ninja Wars, it was those who threatened comrades could be shown no mercy. For a few lousy ryo, priceless lives would have been lost, and if there was a message that she supported it was the death of traitors.

Being seen in public was nerve wracking, but she had no choice. The public was shocked by the execution of over three-fourths of the country s leadership, and needed all the stability it could get. By providing her support to the Daimyo as Tsunade of the Sannin, people were less concerned about their future. Everyone knew the power that the legendary ninja's possessed, and no one wanted to challenge one of her known allies. So while there was some grumbling about the speed of the deaths, no one was willing to question the Daimyo too closely. Hopefully, this also meant that any new councilors would think twice before committing treason in the future.

Although no one had directly linked her with the Crone of the Seed, Tsunade was resigned to the loss of her cover. Once things settled down, the correlation of both her and the Crone's abilities would quickly be discovered. Honestly, she only had less than a week before things got even more complicated. Once people knew where to find the infamous Tsunade, all sorts of trouble would start to look for her. So, as comfortable as Vegetable Country might have been, it was time to move on.

At least the Daimyo wouldn't be lonely. The bloc of councilors who had supported Haruna's deportation as a hostage was firmly within the ranks of the traitors. Upon realizing this, Tsunade had encouraged him to recall his daughter, giving the excuse that she needed to be educated in the realities of Vegetable's culture and society to insure their continued survival. The fact that her retainers were the last two ninja from Vegetable country didn't hurt either. With Haruna safely home, the royal family could concentrate on reestablishing a secure and honest government once again.

However, Tsunade was stumped as to where to go next. There were other friends that she could turn to, but with these new developments, she couldn't really depend on them. Normally, to blend into the population, she and Shizune would act as wandering healers. People were happy to see them come, but not involved enough to mind them going. But from the documents that the Janin had on their persons that would make them targets faster than Naruto could eat Ramen. Thanks to Orochimaru, ANY healer would be snatched if skilled enough, and it went against the healer's code to let patients die just to maintain cover. So unless they knew EXACTLY where they were going, random wandering would just paint a big target on their backs.

Although, once things calmed down again, she really needed to train Hinata personally. Admittedly, Tsunade had been delegating most of the young Hyuga's training to Shizune to concentrate on Naruto's rehabilitation. Not only did this allow her to focus primarily on her favorite blonde brat, but also minimized her personal concerns about Hinata's loyalty. While the Hyuga heir's inclusion had been the Slug Sannin's idea, it was more a political statement than anything else. However, the poor girl had really proven herself, and deserved to be rewarded for her efforts. Clearly, this was more intense than some silly crush; Hinata practically worshiped the ground Naruto walked on. That sort of devotion should be encouraged, and she had just the technique to do it.

Sighing, Tsunade followed the Daimyo to his personal quarters to discuss her thoughts on leaving. As much as it pained her to admit it, Naruto and Hinata needed additional training to insure their survival. Medical techniques were very useful, but with Naruto's control and Hinata's chakra reserves, she needed some variety. High powered offensive jutsu's were not really her forte, but if another attack like the Janin occurred, they had to be prepared. Luckily, she had thought about this eventuality, and even planned for it. It was just awkward teaching something you yourself only learned hours before your students.

-----

Later that evening, Hinata found herself gazing at the moon in exhaustion. After the attack, the clearing was deemed unsafe for further habitation until the security features could be fixed. Therefore, the Daimyo had moved them to the castle for mutual protection, which equated in larger rooms and greater privacy. In her mind, the shy Hyuga grimaced in sorrow. She would have gladly stayed in the hut if only for some company right now.

The sad fact was that she couldn't sleep. Every time she tired, Jiga's empty gaze would wake her up in minutes. His was the first life she had ever taken, and that knowledge weighed down on her more every day. It wasn't the fact that she killed of course. That was considered par for the course in ninja life. No, the thing that scared Hinata was the sheer brutality of her actions, and what that said about who she really was.

Juken was a precision art, designed to efficiently capture of kill opponents. However, since Hyuga tended to simply target tenketsu points, most of their battles were relatively clean. A true Hyuga could kill a hundred enemies without leaving more than a bruise on their opponents. Given the Hyuga s disdain for conventional weaponry; spilling much if any blood during a battle was extremely rare. That was one of the principles of their style.

However, she had used the Juken to literally liquefy Jiga's heart. Her strikes had not targeted specific tenketsu, but shattered whole sections of the chakra pathways around the organ. Then the final strike had blasted the whole mess out of his back like a volcano. As far as she knew, none of the Hyuga had ever attempted to use a Juken strike in such a manner. Did that make her a freak or monster? Was she really nice, or was it all a facade to gain acceptance? How much did she really know about herself? Maybe Hyuga Hinata was really a demon, acting like a nice girl. Nice girls didn't revel in the deaths of their enemies.

Looking at her hands, Hinata was shocked to see them shaking. Perhaps she could have made the kill cleaner. Even with Jiga's metallic skin technique, Juken strikes were effective and his vital organs could have been shut down. A strike to the brain or lungs could have incapacitated or killed him easier, and put her at less risk for the follow up attack. If she had simply thought things through, maybe Naruto wouldn't have had to fight at all! She could have kept the Byakugan active, and noticed the third enemy ninja without any problems. Even when she tried to do the right thing, she failed!

Drawing her legs under her, Hinata began to wish that Kurenai-sensei had come with them. Shizune-sempai and Tsunade-sama had both been working with her to improve, but neither knew her like the red-eyed Jonin. With both dealing with the aftermath of the attack, no one had been there to talk to her about the death. It wasn't really their fault; Team Eight had killed before, and they probably assumed that she had partaken in their more direct efforts. In truth, she had always messed up before she could help in the battles, and most of their kills were either Kurenai-sensei's or Shino's. No one could really figure this out from just their mission reports, so the two healers probably assumed that she had already been blooded. It was another failure to reflect on.

Before anything else, she knew she was a ninja. Ninja could control their emotions and deal with trouble on their own. Hinata wouldn't allow herself to become a burden, and couldn't allow anyone to realize her weakness. They might send her back to Konoha if she failed like that! No, these feelings would be controlled and suppressed, and no one would know about them. That was the safest path to follow.

Trying to gather a shaky breath, Hinata felt the pain and sorrow overwhelm her defenses again. Before she could stop herself, tears started to spill out in rivers down her cheeks. Resigning herself to a small cry, Hinata tried to let go of her dark feelings with each sob. She could cry today and tomorrow night if necessary, as long as no one knew. She would not allow others to see her as a weakling! This was too important to her!

"Hinata-chan?"

Looking up reflexively, the shy girl was mortified to discover Naruto in the doorway, a concerned look on his face.

-----

Naruto had been trying to sleep for hours, but couldn't quite manage it. Ever since the attack, more dreams had been driving him nuts and there wasn't anything he could do about it. With all the craziness since those stupid Janin brothers attacked, his rehabilitation and training had been suspended to give Shizune-nee-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan time to deal with things. Even in the palace, he had to keep a low profile so their enemies wouldn't get another clue to their location. With all of the additional stress and energy, the hyperactive blonde just couldn't rest properly.

Tired of flopping around his futon helplessly, Naruto had decided to get something to drink. But on his way back, a sound had caught his attention. It sounded like someone was crying, but that was crazy! They had the entire floor to themselves, and Shizune-nee-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan were both staying with the Daimyo tonight to act as bodyguards. The only one who could be here was Hinata-chan. Why would she be crying?

Going to her room, Naruto cracked the door to glance in. Shockingly, Hinata was curled in a little ball next to the window, clearly sobbing. Feeling an odd sense of Deja vu, he tried to figure out where he had seen this sort of thing before. Realizing Hinata, the strong Kunoichi who had fought to protect him to the point of near death, was crying like he did on his sixth birthday brought a frown to his face. Hinata was a great person, and shouldn't be feeling like that. He couldn't allow it!

"Hinata-chan?"

Seeing his friend's head jerk up at his voice, Naruto winced. That had to cause some whiplash.

"Na..Naruto-kun? What are you doing here?"

Closing the door behind him, Naruto joined Hinata on the floor. "I couldn't sleep, so I just got something to drink. Then I heard you, and came to see what was wrong." Touching her shoulder, he pinned her with concerned eyes. "Why are you crying Hinata-chan?"

Seeing the emotions in the blonde's gaze, Hinata couldn't find the strength to deny him. Naruto was the one person she would do anything for, no matter how small. "I..I was just thinking about the battle." Scrunching his face in confusion, Naruto looked at her through narrowed eyes. "The battle? But you did great Hinata-chan! Why would that make you cry?" Looking down at her knees, the shy little Hyuga mumbled. "B..but Naruto-kun, I've never killed anyone before."

Feeling like he had been slapped, Naruto looked at her in shock. She had never killed anyone? She had to kill someone because he was so weak? That was horrible! "I'm so sorry Hinata-chan! I didn't know! You shouldn't have had to kill someone just to protect me, and I promise I'll get strong enough to protect you from now on, ok?" He was shocked not only at her sudden stiffening, but the sudden glare she fixed him with. "You weren't weak Naruto-kun! I am a ninja, and am prepared to kill if I need to. But I will never regret killing Jiga if it insured your safety! You are worth it! I just wish...there wasn't so much blood."

Neither said anything for a minute. Naruto was shocked that Hinata was willing to kill for him. He had seen it in her eyes after the battle, but had begun to think she had second thoughts. But now she tells him he was worth it? No one had ever defended him like this before, or told him his life had this much meaning. It was terrifying and humbling at the same time.

Clearly agitated by the silence, Hinata suddenly spoke up. "N..Naruto-kun? Have..have you ever killed anyone before now?" Blinking at the directness, Naruto let out a tired sigh. "Yes, I've had to kill before. It doesn't come up very often, and Kakashi-sensei usually did it when it came up, but it has happened." Reaching for his hand, Hinata squeezed in desperation for comfort. "How do you kill, Naruto-kun? I..I keep remembering all the blood, and the pain, and I wonder if I should have done things differently or tried to knock him out, or..."

Seeing the poor girl begin to break down, Naruto grabbed her shoulders. "Stop it, Hinata-chan! You did what you had to do at the time. You are a very good person, and I am very proud to know you! So relax, and stop beating yourself up." Seeing her shocked gaze, Naruto sighed; all of this thinking was beginning to give him a headache.

"When I found out about the Kyuubi, I began to wonder if I was a monster. If Iruka-sensei hadn't defended me that night, I might have become the thing that the villagers thought I was. Every time that I kill, I wonder if it's just another step towards becoming that stupid fox. Then I remember something." Grabbing her face, he ground each word out forcefully, emphasizing the lesson to the best of his ability. "I remember one of my first friends and how he defended his precious people. He died so a bad man would live, but he did so because he had someone to protect. As long as you kill or hurt others to defend those important to you, you can never be a monster. That boy was the purest soul I have ever met, and he killed hundreds of enemies. He wasn't a monster, and neither are you. You are Hyuga Hinata, a Konoha ninja, and one of those precious to me! If you really defended me because I was important to you, then you can NEVER be a bad person. Remember that!"

Seeing the honesty in his eyes, hearing his determination, Hinata's resolve visibly weakened. Gasping in release, she grabbed Naruto with all of her strength and began to sob uncontrollably into his night shirt. With every tear, it seemed like days of pain and self recrimination were washed away. Looking over his friend, Naruto remembered the countless nights, previously forgotten or suppressed, where he would cry until there were no more tears. Thinking of the one thing he needed but never received back then, he acted with all of the unpredictably he was known for.

He gathered Hinata into a hug, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words into her ear. For once, Hinata was able to manage physical contact from her crush without fainting. It would mark the turning point for both of them.

-----

Gazing at the young upstart, Homura clenched his teeth in anger. While he had originally thought that Jiraiya would make a fine fifth Hokage, the treatment since his placement had soured him on the concept. He and Koharu constituted more respect than a twenty minute time limit after a summons. While no one could challenge Jiraiya in ninja ability, it was clear that he needed some major work on his diplomatic skills. As much as it irritated him, supporting Danzou to take over the position seemed the only possible path for future stability now.

Clearing his throat, Jiraiya seemed to decide it was time to begin. "Honorable Advisors, I am saddened to share some dire news with you. Danzou, former ANBU commander of Konoha has been found guilty of treason and forming an independent force outside the control of the Hokage's Office." Shocked, Homura tried to gather his thoughts. While ROOT was technically outside the purview of the Hokage's office, Sarutobi had given Danzou his freedom to insure the political stability of the village. If Jiraiya shut the old mummy down, not only would he and Koharu lose access to his resources, but the political backlash would be tremendous!

Stiffening his spine, Homura decided that putting this child in his place was the only option. "What proof do you have of such allegations, Jiraiya? Danzou has been a loyal Konoha ninja before your birth. Such claims cannot be made without significant support." Nodding in agreement, Koharu put her two cents in. "I agree, undue action against Danzou without significant proof could have serious consequences. We really must insist that no action be taken unless it is cleared with both Tsunade and the Daimyo. After all, despite your bluster, you are still just a regent at the moment Jiraiya."

Smirking in the two old ninja's faces, the Toad Sage countered. "Actually Koharu by the definition of my regency the only things that I am limited in are assigning A to S rank missions, and making deals with foreign powers. Like any good Hokage, issues of internal security are completely within my rights and responsibilities. That's especially true when old farts start forming secret armies and secure facilities outside of the proper channels. As to that proof, well, teams of ANBU have already acted to discover all the proof necessary."

Sweating slightly, Homura prayed this wasn't as bad as it sounded. Some of the things in ROOT could turn the average ninja's stomach. Worried about the consequences, he asked as calmly as he dared. "What proof has this ANBU squad discovered that could support such an outlandish theory?" Shuffling some paperwork, Jiraiya answered offhandedly, "Oh, the deaths of one hundred and forty seven potential ninja's, a group of about fifty trained ninjas, and numerous pieces of documentation within his main office. Sadly, Danzou resisted capture and was put down in the field. I plan on releasing this information to the village to prevent any copycats. Such treason should be discouraged, don't you agree?"

Ninja do not live for decades without some serious physical and mental skills, and Homura was no exception. Jiraiya knew that he and Koharu had been involved with Danzou, either through rumor or retrieved documentation from the bastard himself. If the boy was going to act against them though, he would have arrested them as coconspirators, and had them executed or imprisoned. So, this was simply going to be a warning not to act against him or his position. An unrealistic request, but one they could abide by for the moment.

Jiraiya was obviously underestimating their resources, if he thought such threats would hold them for long. Danzou might have worked in the shadows, but he and Koharu would be able to rally support through several favors still owed them. With their respective connections, the Daimyo would be kept appraised of the situation and act on the proper advice. Jiraiya was too soft at times, but that didn't mean they couldn't take advantage of the situation. He would pay for this outrage!

Leaning back, Jiraiya pinned them with a look. "Out of curiosity, have you succeeded in securing the civilian candidates for the Uchiha project?" Sighing, Koharu replied, "While the response has been slightly underwhelming, we have managed to get numerous possibilities. However, there are still a few that we wish to approach within the next day or two. A complete listing of their backgrounds and status will be ready by the end of the week." Nodding in thanks, Jiraiya smirked. "Excellent work, both of you. I guess that means that my plan can go forward faster than anticipated." Blinking in confusion, Homura raised an eyebrow. "What plan could that be, Jiraiya?"

Standing, Jiraiya turned to face the village, "It has come to my attention that, despite our significant losses during the Sound Invasion, several potential resources have been neglected in the protection of the village. I plan on imposing a reactivation of restricted or retired ninjas to temporarily reinforce our forces. In addition, based upon the ability shown by some of ninjas during the invasion, a more comprehensive evaluation of the current ranks needs to be implemented. Of course, they will be given a physical evaluation of at least a month before being put on active duty. Otherwise, we might end up killing someone by accident."

Frowning, Koharu tried to rally her anger. "Whatever are you talking about Jiraiya? We have been activating retired ninja for weeks, shuffling our forces to the best of our abilities! Who has been ignored that is not dead, crippled or insane?" Matching her glare with barely a thought, the Toad Sage replied carelessly, "Oh, a couple of clan heads, some administrators, and you of course."

Continuing without pause, Jiraiya watched their respective sputtering with obvious amusement. "After all, Honorable Advisors, you are both Jonin ranked and thus under my command. Yet, you simply sit in meetings that can be handled by any administrator while valuable Jonin-level missions go undone. Naturally, if you feel like fulfilling your obligations to the village is beyond you, there is always the option of retiring your rank. Of course, if you did that, I could no longer allow you to represent Konoha in any official capacity. Too much sensitive information could be compromised after all."

Left gaping, Homura could barely comprehend what he was hearing. Ninja's were NEVER asked to retire their ranks unless they were no longer worthy of them. It was considered the gravest of dishonors, and those who did so usually didn't survive within the village for very long. By making this ludicrous declaration, Jiraiya could tie them up with trivialities for months before they could alert the Daimyo! If it wasn't an act against him, the Old Ninja could almost admire the tenacity of the boy.

Thinking of numerous paths to revenge, he threw a quick look at Koharu. While it was clear that she wanted to do nothing more than tear the little upstart into pieces, the elder kunoichi kept her cool. There would be a chance for retribution later, but for now they would play along. A smart ninja knew enough to keep their options open. Attacking the bastard would not gain anything except their deaths.

Seeing their acceptance, Jiraiya grinned. "Glad to see you're being so reasonable. Until you successfully complete your reevaluation, your ranks will be temporarily suspended. Once you complete the required tasks, you will be reinstated and provided with the duties and obligations of the rank. We will begin next week once the paperwork for the Uchiha Breeding Project is turned in. That is all."

Taking a deep breath, Homura asked the one safe question of the moment. "Out of curiosity, what will our reevaluation consist of?" Leaning back, Jiraiya's grin turned vicious. "Well, let's leave that as a surprise, ne? But I guess I can give you some free advice." Leaning forward, the mighty Toad Sage stage whispered like a mischievous child, "You might want to bring some cat-nip."

For some reason, that warning sent a deathly chill down both Advisor's Spines.

-----

Replacing the paintbrush, Ino hummed a little tune of contentment. She had taken up residence in Naruto's apartment three days ago with barely a word to her parents, simply stating she had a mission. Given their last conversation, the two elder Yamanaka decided not to pry. On the face of it, this was a dream job; getting paid to house-sit, while showing the village what she thought of child abusing heroes. The idea of living on her own was an exciting adventure, and the loud Yamanaka was thrilled by the trust and independence that the appointment represented. Honestly, this was going to be so much fun!

Of course, the reality was much less pleasant. Upon arriving at the run down firetrap, she was shocked by the state of the place. The lock was broken, walls were coated in graffiti, windows were shattered, and many of the appliances were trashed. Either the previous Genin teams had lied about finishing the mission or SOMEONE with a lot of free time on their hands really hated Naruto. However, while she might miss some creature comforts, Ino was still a kunoichi. With all the D rank missions that Asuma-sensei had dragged her on, fixing such little problems was actually no big deal.

Now, after three days of constant effort, the apartment was livable once again. Hopefully Naruto wouldn't mind the yellow paint job, but it made the place so much more cheerful. Now, she could crash here with no qualms, and maybe figure out what made the kid tick. That comment about weird chakra that Sakura had made was still rattling around in her brain and she wanted in on the secret! If there was one thing that her father had always told her, it was living in a person's shoes would always tell you more than snooping in their heads.

Thinking about her father caused the blonde to wince. Given the way they had left things, it was doubtful anyone even knew where she was at the moment. Between all the cleaning and her training, no one had actually connected her to Naruto's apartment yet. Admittedly, this whole idea would make less of an impact if her parents were not aware of the situation. But the idea of dealing with an angry Yamanaka patriarch sent chills up her spine. Hopefully the rumor mill would start soon, and she would be spared the embarrassment of an actual confrontation. However, such thoughts only encouraged Ino to find out more about Naruto, if only to distract herself.

The few personal items left untouched by the attack were hard to find, surprisingly enough. Whatever wasn't trashed in the apartment proper was put out of sight. Naruto apparently liked to hide his important stuff under a loose floor board. Most of it was photos and scrolls, but there were the occasional surprises. Who knew that Naruto had a stuffed frog for a pet? That bit of blackmail alone was worth the four hours it took to find the hiding spot in the first place! She could almost see her own pack mule army of shadow clones on a special shopping trip.

Wiping the small bit of drool the thought encouraged, Ino checked the refurbished clock in amazement. It had gotten kind of late, hadn't it? Replacing the treasures to their original positions, Ino began to look for something to eat. However, after discovering her personal rations were gone, and all Naruto had were two hundred packages of instant ramen, she had to pout. No one would deliver around here, so she would have to go food shopping. That wasn't any fun!

Sighing, Ino set up traps around the windows and entrance, praying the place would stay in one piece. She really didn't want to spend another three days cleaning up after some stupid vandals. Getting her purse, she set out, smirking. Some might think it was the thought of acting like a housewife to Uzumaki Naruto, dead last of the academy that amused her. Honestly, it was the idea that she was acting like a true adult at the age of twelve. Yet all of this was possible because of the most irresponsible knucklehead to ever come out of the village.

However, in her bemused state, Ino missed the numerous people noticing where she was coming from. Drawing several conclusions, these unnamed watchers decided that the village must know about the newest outrage. The Yamanaka heiress was protecting the demon brats place! She must be a demon lover! They would have to educate her on the realities of life.

-----

Sighing, Tsunade looked out at the private gardens of the palace in depression. No matter what she tried to come up with, no one place really stood out as a good hiding place. With the craziness of the executions finally calming down, people had begun to talk about the national heroine 'The Crone of the Seed'. It hadn't taken a Nara to figure out the similarities between the Crone and the visiting Slug Princess. Therefore, leaving Vegetable country had become a priority. Problem was, she couldn't figure out where to go.

While she had a few more friends who could help her out, Tsunade was hesitant to approach them. Not only would it endanger most of the choices, but several of them happened to be Yakuza bosses. While they were rather dependable, having a bounty from Orochimaru available would be too much of a temptation for their underlings. Without a specific destination in mind, she was hesitant to leave their current position of safety. However, sneaking away in the middle of the night was becoming more and more attractive by the minute. The longer they stayed, the more endangered everyone could become.

"Tsunade-sama, Daimyo-sama has a message for you."

Looking up, Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the nervous servant girl. "Yes, what is it?" Gulping, the girl tried to keep her cool, failing horribly. "There is a messenger here for the Crone of the Seed. Daimyo-sama said that you should come and meet with him." Nodding in thanks, Tsunade almost missed the girl's frantic running. Apparently, Naruto had been telling horror stories about her again.

Applying a quick transformation, Tsunade hurried to meet with this messenger. The Daimyo was aware of her issues concerning relocation, so if he thought that this was worth their time, it was probably important. Hopefully, the fact that the message was for the Crone of the Seed meant that no one was aware of their presence here outside of the country. Thank goodness for small favors. Entering the meeting hall, she was treated the sight of a mild looking young man. He was attractive, in a slightly bookish way, with brown hair, simple glasses and an earnest face. Upon seeing her, however, he bowed low with no hesitation. "Forgive me madam, but are you the wondrous healer known only as the Crone of the Seed?" Smiling at young man, she nodded. "Yes child, some call me that name."

Looking up from his bow, Tsunade was shocked by the tears in his eyes. "Good Lady, I am known as Chishima. I have been sent here on a matter of the gravest of urgencies. Our beloved Daimyo of Bird has taken ill and needs your help! Once word reached us of your healing powers, I left immediately on the request of his children. They beg for your aid, Crone-sama! Will you hear their pleas?"

While his demands were heartfelt, Tsunade had other things to be concerned about. Bird Country was a small, isolated location with few major imports or exports. They were out of the way, peaceful, and most importantly quiet. If they could get sanctuary there for a bit, Naruto probably could be trained up enough to actually qualify for Chunin again. His only problem at the moment was a lack of chakra control, but they had made huge strides since beginning his rehabilitation. He almost had the level of control he started out with at this point, something that would only be improved upon with time.

Also, this could be the start of a very useful trend. Vegetable Country already owed them for dealing with the Janin. But if she could save Bird Country's Daimyo that would be another political power that could offer support. The Fire Daimyo might want to support the Advisor's Council now, but if numerous foreign powers started bidding for her services, that might just change his tune. It was something to consider for the future anyways.

"Alright then, Chishima, I'll make arrangements to come with you to Bird Country. However, there will be a few conditions." Smiling brightly, the eager young man beamed in gratitude. "Thank you, great Crone of the Seed! I will do my best to meet your needs! Simply name them, and it shall be done!" Dispelling the transformation technique, Tsunade grinned, "Well, first of all, let's drop that Crone business, ne?"

-----

Gritting her teeth, it was all Ino could do not to scream in rage. This was absurd, outrageous, and pathetic, all wrapped into one! If she wasn't a ninja in good standing, these sleaze-balls would be screaming, their minds ripped into little pieces in her rage! Unfortunately, all the Genin could do was walk quickly, hoping for success in her next attempt. The evil smirks she saw from the corner of her eyes were NOT helping matters in the least.

Upon entering the market district, Ino was rudely surprised by her reception. Over the years, she had managed to develop a reputation as quite the power shopper. Whenever she had an unusual amount of time or money, the young Yamanaka could spend HOURS looking over bargains, haggling, and striving to find the best deals. Therefore, she had created relationships with several prominent merchants in the market, and expected a certain level of professional conduct when going there; Conduct that was blaitenly absent today.

Four times that she attempted to browse, normally mild mannered shopkeepers chased her out in a rage. Three times that she attempted to buy supplies had resulted in sneers, lower quality produce, and inflated prices. Every time she had attempted to protest however had resulted in two general responses. Either they would glare, before yelling something like "You can always go somewhere else, Uzumaki whore!" Or, they would shake their heads in mock-sorrow, bemoaning how the Yamanaka clan was cursed with such an inconsiderate child. Then they would throw her out without another word.

Clearly, someone had finally realized that she supported Naruto over the official clan story. However, the response was absurd! Why did the civilian population think that it was alright to treat someone like this, just because they were friends with Naruto? Despite his antics at times, Naruto was a good ninja, and always worked to protect the village. Yet, the respect that many ninja gained from the position was completely absent. You would think that some of the other ninjas would have stepped in to deal with such actions against one of their own.

Swallowing, Ino frowned in concern. If it was this bad for her, what did Naruto deal with every day? Was he sold decaying produce and expired milk at triple their normal prices? How much abuse was there on a day to day basis, and why did these bastards get away with it so easily? Was this why the village loved the Yamanaka clan right now? Because they had preformed abuse on a level others couldn't or wouldn't dare to match?

Feeling her stomach growl, Ino started towards the Dango Stand in a huff. Obviously, cooking proper food was out so she'd just have to eat take out for the moment. After that, she could go and buy some ration bars to tide her over until she could decide on what to do. With the way things were, it's not like she could eat over at Choji's or Shika's. But with Naruto's current reputation in the ninja community, it's not like the suppliers would overcharge her, right?

On second thought, maybe Sakura would be willing to have her over for dinner to break things up.

Getting a table, Ino was relieved that the staff didn't seem to have an issue with her presence. The wait staff was nice and professional, and the service was quick. Although her diet was going to hate her, hours of repair work and wasted shopping trips had left her ravenous. Soon she was ordering another batch of Dango, unmindful of the impact on her waistline. If the response of the village was any indication, she'd be burning plenty of energy in the months to come.

The blonde was so engrossed in her meal that the person stalking up behind her didn't even register until it was too late.

-----

Cracking his neck, Naruto smiled. After over a month of waiting, he could try out ninjutsu again! Tsunade-baa-chan had finally cleared him to try out the Shadow Clone, thinking that there was no reason to hold back anymore. They would be leaving the country soon, and their cover was pretty much blown anyways. Hopefully, the intense training sessions of the last few weeks would allow him to begin to re-master his power! He couldn't wait to see what he could do!

Remembering the clarity of focus he had gained during the fight with the Janin, Naruto concentrated while forming his signature jutsu sign. Focusing his power with his entire heart and soul, the hyperactive blonde could feel the energy gathering from every pore. No way was he going to be a burden anymore! You'd better watch out world, because Uzumaki Naruto was back!

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Suddenly, a familiar field of orange covered the field, stretching as far as the eye could see. Instead of a sickly and unbalanced series of clones, Naruto had managed to create nearly seven hundred clones without fainting. In fact, he still felt like he was bursting with energy! It was awesome!

"Not bad kid, not bad at all. Come on, I want to check out where your clones are in terms of power." Nodding to the healer, Naruto directed one of his clones to a suddenly cleared space where they could conduct the test. Running through the same set of seals as she had done previously, Tsunade directed the duplicate Naruto to focus its chakra. Unlike the last time, though, the response time was only about thirty seconds, and the first level of shielding didn't even buckle; although it did turn a deep navy blue.

Nodding, Tsunade smiled, "Well brat, it looks like each clone has about ten times the amount of chakra that an average Chunin does. Of course, with your current level of control, I'd say with waste its closer to ten times the amount of the average Genin. I think that we can finally begin to properly train you in Chakra control now." Cocking his head in confusion, Naruto stared at his fellow blonde. "Baa-chan, how's regaining the Shadow Clone going to impact my training chakra control?"

Looking surprised at his question, Tsunade smacked her face while mumbling something about "lazy perverts." Taking a random clone, Naruto watched in further confusion as his Hokage dragged the duplicate behind a tree. Seconds later, though, his face scrunched in anger. Seeing the Slug Princess haughtily return, Naruto pointed at her face in anger. "Hey, I am NOT a moron! What are you talking about, Baa-chan?"

Making a long suffering sigh, Tsunade simply fixed her patient with a look. "Naruto, how did you know what I just said? I told the clone, not you." Blinking at the very good question, the normally hyperactive ninja's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean that I learn everything that my clones learn?" Smiling at his confusion, Tsunade nodded. "I cannot believe Kakashi didn't give you that tip. If you had started training with Shadow Clones at the beginning, you would have been a lot better than you ended up as. I swear that I will have words with that man one of these days."

Smiling at the possibilities, Naruto ordered his clones to disperse, only to collapse in pain. Feeling a cool palm stroking his head, he heard a few concerned words before collapsing. "Well, it's not perfect, but we can work around it. Don't worry Naruto; this will put you right on track to being the greatest Hokage in history." With those words following him to slumber, the blonde couldn't help but grin.

-----

Hidaka had lived in Konoha for nearly fifty years, thirty of those as a merchant. Providing food and supplies to honorable ninjas of Konoha had been his only ambition. Unlike other Hidden Villages, Konoha didn't encourage it's forces to inspire fear in the populace, so the merchant had actually befriended several ninja's over the years. It was a quiet life, and one that he enjoyed immensely.

Then the Kyuubi came.

Hundreds of ninja's had died that night, and while Konoha itself hadn't fallen, many of Hidaka's precious customers had. When word got around about the Yondaime's final sacrifice, a deep pit of sorrow embraced many of the village, both ninja and civilian alike. If not for the comforting presence of the Sandaime, most of Konoha might have fallen to suicide. But when the method of containment was known, a new emotion was inspired in the population. A searing, burning hatred for all that Uzumaki Naruto was and stood for.

That was when Hidaka joined many others in a new ambition. While the work of the Yondaime was amazing, the Kyuubi's evil could literally be felt for miles. Therefore, how beyond the realms of possibility was it for Uzumaki to simply be the Kyuubi reborn? He was a new shell for the monster, biding it's time before striking. What was a mere human lifetime to an immortal demon? It had to be stopped.

So whenever Uzumaki went shopping, Hidaka was among the first to throw him out or claim he was a thief. Many of the shops refused service outright, hoping to retard his development or health. Others attempted to poison him with rotten and over priced goods, praying that he would finally die before becoming a threat. In fact, if not for those traitorous Ichiraku Ramen people, the little bastard would probably be dead from scurvy. As it was, he clearly suffered from the treatment, and the constant lack of funds it caused. Each moment of torment the demon underwent made parts of Hidaka s soul lighten, as if his lost friends were smiling on him in the afterlife.

However, now the little bastard had done the unthinkable. He was corrupting others of the village with his taint! First Uchiha-sama had fallen to the might of the creature, being stripped of his rightful position without proper recourse. Then, Yamanaka-san had been seduced to become his watchdog while away! She was always such a nice girl before, but now she had decided to throw away her clan on his command! As painful as it was, she had to be taught a lesson for such actions. One day she would understand, but for now he would withhold services until she came to her senses.

Breaking out of his contemplation, Hidaka felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he was treated to the terrifying sight of Mitarashi Anko, snake bitch of Konoha, smirking in his direction!

"Evening Hidaka-kun! I'm here after getting information that you might be trying to poison ninjas through tainted supplies. I'm afraid that we'll have to head to the Interrogation department to evaluate your recent activities, and discover any knowledge of possible coconspirators. Won't that be so much fun?"

Seeing the grin become slightly psychotic, the bigoted merchant could barely find the energy to whimper.

-----

Author's Notes

Anyone who PM's me with the original location of Hidaka's name will get a shout out in the next chapter's notes!

Wow, I think that I received more reviews for the last chapter than any before it. Careful people; if I start thinking that dead characters will bring in more responses than live ones; we're going to run out of subjects pretty quick. But yes, for those of you who are confused, Danzou is dead and not coming back. Oh yeah, I also fixed that little spelling error from the last chapter, so no more teasing about treason versus knock out pills please -_-;;; Other than that, keep up the reviews, and I will try to answer any of your more interesting concerns :)

Now if anyone is worried that Naruto is going to be way too powerful now, don't be. The chakra cloak thing is one of those 'only in extreme situations' things. It requires a level of focus that he's just not ready for yet. So while it's a power up, it's not going to be his only one. :)

Finally, there is one thing I wish to address. If anyone is still confused about the nature of the pairings for this fiction, I ask that you please look at my bio page. That will hopefully answer your questions.

Now, for the next part, we have one part escape, one part revenge and a side order of intrigue? Oh, and let's not forget the occasional angst moment and forgetful pervert. Stay tuned!


	13. The Shifting Tides

I don't own Naruto. I would have kept Jiraiya alive...as Tsunade's personal punching bag.

Chapter Twelve: The Shifting Tides

There was a power within Konoha greater than any kekkei genkai. The populace would fear its coming more than an angry Byakugan fighter, a psychotic Sharingan user, or a mythical Rinnegan barer. The advanced ninjutsu schools and specialized techniques of any ninja clan, be they Genin, Chunin or Jonin, were useless to contain it. In fact, some whispered that even the Sandaime, among the greatest and most knowledgeable of Hokages, had been helpless against this horrible combination of elements. Truly, no one was left in the village who could safely handle such a fearsome opponent.

Raising his hand in anger, the danger began to stir. "That is IT! I have had it with all this bad mouthing of the Boss! We cannot take this lying down anymore!" Beyond doubt, an angry and bored Konohamaru was among the most devilish elements within the village. Ever since taking Naruto on as his unofficial master and idol, the honorable grandson had changed his ways from simple cries for attention to constructive and complex pranking. Seeing the hyperactive blonde as a mentor in all that he did, the Ninja Academy was shaken by his newly unrivaled creativity in the realms of pranking and joking. It was said that every instructor was contemplating reassignment, other than Iruka, and that was only because of his own background in the fields.

While Naruto could calm the kid down with a few games of ninja, paper kunai and all, the blonde had been gone for practically a month and a half by now. Plus, after hearing rumors and stories about his idol's treatment within the village, the pint-sized academy student was seeing red. He had managed to get a mostly unedited version of the events right from his uncle, and every word made him more and more enraged. The boss was his hero, and hearing about such horrible things being done to him was unbearable. Hence, the Yamanaka clan was surprised by a series of eggings on all major properties and the Hyuga had a sudden infestation of termites. Unfortunately for the village, that was far from the extent of his abilities or creativity. The same could be said for his allies.

Rubbing his nose, Udon sniffed in agreement. "Yeah, I agree Konohamaru! Half the civilian district is celebrating the boss getting hurt! We can't let such low-life's get away with that kind of talk! But what should we do?" Getting into her special 'cute kunoichi thinking pose', Moegi smiled. "Why don't we spread counter rumors? I bet that I could shut down half the stalls in the market with a story about roaches in the food or something. Oh, or we could spike their tea with alcohol and watch everyone get roaring drunk!"

Shaking his head in disappointment, Konohamaru addressed his subordinate with disgust. "No way, Moegi! We cannot let this slander of the Boss be countered by indirect methods. We need to send a message to those who would be-little Naruto, and show how cool he really is at the same time!" Huffing, the carrot-top threw her hands up in exasperation. "How the hell are we supposed to do that, Konohamaru-kun?" Scratching his chin, Udon threw in his own two cents. "Well, what does the Boss know that would leave an impression like that? It's not like any of us can do Shadow Clones yet, and we already do pranks, so that's no good. What else could we do that would really fit the bosses style?"

Joining in a group thinking pose, the Konohamaru corps began to contemplate what to do. The message had to be forceful, unique and clear. But what more could a mere group of Academy Students do that would pay homage to the brilliance of the boss? What signature technique could possibly be enough to take the village down a peg or three? Wait a moment...

Eyes widening, Konohamaru jumped up in joy. "I've got it! The ultimate, Kage killing technique that can take down anyone! It's the perfect way to start things off, and will honor the boss at the same time!" Seeing the confused looks on his friends faces, the boy began to outline his plan.

For some odd reason, about a third of the village's population began to shiver uncontrollably. They really had no idea what they were in for.

-----

The group gathered on the edge of Vegetable Country's northern border, ready to move. All of their things had been carefully repacked, and Tsunade was itching to get on the road. They probably would be half way to Bird Country by now, if Chishima wasn't coming with them. But with the specific requests that she had made to insure their privacy, his presence was absolutely necessary to smooth things over. Unfortunately, it would complicate their travel arrangements dramatically, so everyone had to get moving as soon as possible. However, that didn't mean that security could be ignored.

Ideally, the only one who would actually know their location would be the Daimyo, and he could be trusted. No one else actually knew where Chishima was from, or that they had decided to take his case. But since they lived in reality, planning for the worst was an absolute must. Luckily, after a month of mental training and meditation, Naruto was in the unique position of killing two birds with one stone. Not only could he cover for their escape, but the blonde would be able to gain some massive chakra control training at the same time. Therefore, it was time to break out an old favorite, safely tested the day before.

"Ok Naruto, I want you to make about five hundred clones. You think that you can manage that?" Smirking at her question, the energetic blonde made his favorite hand seal. With three simple words, the entire border was covered in orange. Forming a personal Shadow Clone, the resulting copy led nearly four hundred clones into their hidden flower field. "Excellent! With the information retention that you gain from your technique, the Shadow Clones can relearn tree walking and water walking while we move! Plus, since each clone has only a fraction of your total reserves, the exercises should go a lot more smoothly than if you tried them in your current state. Now, let's see what happens when you try the other technique."

Shrugging his shoulders, Naruto signaled his clones. Making a familiar seal, the remaining hundred clones separated into groups of twenty. Three groups transformed into replicas of Hinata, Shizune, and Tsunade respectively. Another twenty, however, changed into different girls of all shapes and sizes. The remaining group was simply a bunch of Naruto's looking bored. Going up to a duplicate, Tsunade poked it in the forehead, before smiling at the contact. "You know Naruto, once we have some time; you and I are going to have a LONG talk about how you can create actual gender transformations that are this accurate. But with the circumstances being what they are, I won't complain. Now, I want groups of five formed up, and dispersed to the four corners of the map. If you can, stay out of any trouble, and go as far as possible. Also, I want at least five teams to head into Rice Country. Since Orochimaru was nice enough to give us such a lovely bounty, let's try to distract him a bit. Go!"

Nodding, each group began to run across the ground at high speeds. Until the Training Clones completed their tasks, every group would be unable to run through the trees, making them all the more visible. Nodding to Shizune, Tsunade ignored Chishima's cry of surprise as the slight brunet picked him up like a sack of rice. "While we are traveling to Bird Country, our pace is going to be slowed somewhat with a non-ninja accompanying us. However, without him there to set up our arrangements, going there would be pointless. So Shizune will carry our client for the duration, while I carry Naruto until his tree climbing skills are sufficient to move independently. Is everyone clear?"

Seeing the firm nods of acceptance, and ignoring Naruto's slight blush at the contact, Tsunade picked the blonde up and began to leap through the trees. There would be time for teasing later, and they needed to remain focused. Staying out of sight was essential to the success of their diversionary force, and the sooner they reached Bird Country, the better. Naruto had come so far, but there was still much to do. Besides, it wasn't like a bunch of missing ninja would attack THIS country as well, right?

-----

Leaning back in his chair, the Raikage idly pumped his arm weight while reading the intelligence report. Tsunade and her mystery group had finally come out of hiding, only to disappear after providing the Daimyo of Vegetable some public support. Apparently, the poor bastard had been attacked by a group of missing ninja with collaborators within the government, and it was only the Sannin's timely intervention that insured the rulers continued survival. Already, minor reports were coming in about the timid new cabinet that feared the wrath of the dangerously stacked blonde. Truly, it was always nice to have friends in high places.

However some of the wording in the report was troubling, while at the same time intriguing. Tsunade had made a point of granting her public protection as Tsunade of the Sannin, NOT Tsunade the Godaime. This could potentially mean one of two things. Firstly, Tsunade could have abdicated the throne of Konoha for some reason, and was attempting to find a new home. While Vegetable was not a large country, its location was tactically sound, and the leadership owed her. Honestly, it was an interesting idea, but could become a logistic nightmare to prove. The intelligence office had no direct members within Konoha, so any information about the inner workings of the village was purely speculative.

The other possibility was Tsunade was actually a missing ninja now, and was advertising her services. Orochimaru had done similar things upon his initial escape from Konoha, and the results were enough to give him shivers. That madman was ruthless, amoral and completely self serving. If that odd shadow group hadn't picked him up, Kumo might have tried to get his allegiance. Now they just had to deal with another crazy minor hidden village.

Tsunade's movements seemed to suggest an opportunity to the Kage. If the Slug Princess was looking for fresh accommodations, there might be a place in Kumo for her. Having the Hyuga Heiress as a citizen would simply be the icing on the cake. But if Tsunade was just advertising her abilities, there were several problems that he wouldn't mind freelancing to her group. At the very least, establishing a better medical program for the ninja forces would be welcome. Either way, his village stood to benefit greatly.

Straitening his back, the muscular leader turned to address his visitor. "Report Samui; is your team ready to depart?" Standing at attention, the beautiful Jonin coolly replied. "Omoi and Karui are both set to travel. Sensei and Yugito are also awaiting your orders. What is your command, Raikage-sama?"

Standing, he nodded firmly, "Samui, I want you, Omoi and Karui to depart to Vegetable country with Yugito. This is strictly a reconnaissance mission, so my stupid brother can stay at home this time. Your objective is to evaluate the actions and motivations of Tsunade of the Sannin and, after coming to your conclusion, inform me about the possibility of recruitment or collaboration. Tsunade is a bit more stable than Orochimaru, and if this is a chance to gain the strength of a Sannin, we cannot waste it. However, if you believe that this is simply a special mission, your job is to track them to discover her true objective, and act accordingly for the good of Kumo. Do you have any questions?"

Saluting, Samui met her superiors gaze without fear. "No Raikage-sama!" Smiling at her confidence, the leader turned abruptly. "Then go and complete you mission!"

With a flicker of lighting, the Raikage was once again left to his thoughts.

-----

Jumping to the next branch on instinct, Shizune struggled to focus on traveling with the unfamiliar cargo. The fight with the Janin and resulting stress of Hinata's emergency healing had thrown her out of whack, and the result was a loss of control and composure. As a kunoichi, she could not allow either to impact her during a mission, and ruthlessly clamped down on her unease. However, all it took was an idle glance on Tsunade-sama and her own passenger to cause an involuntary shiver. What had she allowed to happen?

Looking back on the confrontation before the fight, the medical ninja was beginning to doubt her decision. Of course Naruto was injured at the time, and keeping him safe was of the highest priority, but forcing the decision so abruptly might have been a bad idea. Disrupting his nervous system for his own good put him in further danger and accomplished nothing in the end. There were a number of arguments that she might have been able to use to change his mind, such as emphasizing the importance of Tsunade joining them for protection. Instead, he had called up a chakra technique tied to the Kyuubi in order to save their lives.

Discovering that the only time that he had ever used the chakra claw trick was the battle to bring back Sasuke was terrifying. During that fight, no matter HOW tired she was, the Kyuubi chakra should have glowed like a beacon. The fact that it did not seemed to indicate that his normal chakra network was adapting to mimic the power sealed within him. Although Tsunade couldn't find anything wrong with him after a thorough examination, Shizune still worried. The stress on his tenketsu alone should be crippling. Yet here he was, once again healthy after doing the impossible. Just what else would change about the blonde?

Shizune was a trained medical ninja, which meant that she understood the realities and possibilities of human development better than most of the planet. Physical adaptation like Naruto was exhibiting could be very traumatic, resulting from anything from additional appendages to self destructive organs. In fact, some of the documented kekkei genkai experiments had the subjects regress from human to fish by messing with the DNA. Each change that Naruto had to make to accommodate the fox and his own unsealed power was just as likely to cause a self mutilation as it was to insure his survival. But the galling thing was that her lack of faith and abrupt decision had helped to accelerate the problem.

However, more important than any physical damage was the loss of trust. Ever since they healed Hinata, Naruto was going out of his way to avoid her. The hurt in his eyes felt almost like a physical wound every time they interacted. Luckily, with their emergency care of the Daimyo taking priority, these instances were few and far between. Unfortunately, it was clear that if she wanted to have a proper working relationship with the boy any time soon, they would have to clear the air; for her peace of mind if nothing else.

Frowning, Shizune remembered their other teammate. Hinata's contribution to the fight could not be overlooked either. The young Chunin had swiftly and brutally put down an enemy combatant to insure her teammate's survival. Such an action could be very traumatic, and if not for the stress of running around trying to find the next hiding spot, she would have sat the girl down for a heart to heart before now. Another thing to deal with before Bird Country; that sort of pressure could seriously effect a young ninja's mind, and needed to be addressed.

Sighing, she focused on simply putting one foot in front of the other. The trip would take about a week at their current rate of speed, and would have several moments where these issues could be addressed. However, in the meantime, they needed to concentrate on progressing to Bird Country with all possible speed. There were ALOT of possible enemies that needed to be avoided, and the sooner they were out of the lime light, the better.

Nearly tripping, Shizune returned her full attention to traveling. Whatever was screwing with her control was beginning to get annoying. As soon as she could, the brunet medic swore she would go through a series of control exercises to get a handle on the problem. Who knew what would happen if she attempted to heal someone in this sort of condition? It might make Hinata's Juken strike look like a tap on the shoulder!

-----

Making sure that Shizune had their guest distracted, Tsunade approached her other apprentices. While her focus had been on Naruto, she had to admit that Hinata was an excellent student. The level of knowledge and technique they had demonstrated so far was several times faster than average. In fact, this sort of growth was almost reminiscent of Shizune when they had first begun training. Each had shown impressive development, but if they were going to survive the near future, things would have to change. The discussion was just going to be a little awkward.

"Now, I am happy to say that you are both coming along well. Hinata, your control and knowledge are both well above average, and I expect great things from you in the future." Blushing from the praise, the shy girl bowed her head in embarrassment. "Naruto, while your control is still nothing to write home about, I have to say it is worlds ahead of where you were when we began. Congratulations, you now have the chakra control of a normal Genin." Eyebrow twitching Naruto ground out between clenched teeth. "What do you mean that I have the chakra control of an average Genin? Didn't all those exercises you had me do accomplish anything?" Smirking, Tsunade waved his complaints off without a care in the world. "Of course they did. Before we began, you had the chakra control of a first year Academy Student. It's not quite enough to climb trees without issue yet, but once your clones start dispersing that should be adjusted a bit." Sighing at his appeased expression, the Hokage almost felt bad about her next statement. "Unfortunately, until your control improves dramatically, I won't be able to teach you any more medical ninjutsu than what you currently know."

Anticipating the upcoming explosion, Tsunade had the forethought to put up a silencing barrier. "What? Baa-chan! You said you were going to train me! You're not going back on your word, are you?" Seeing the look of betrayal, Tsunade sighed. If any of the Yamanaka could have been trusted to be impartial, she would have dragged one of them along to provide mental therapy while she healed his body. Regrettably, that was neither here nor there. "No, Naruto, I am still going to be training you. Just not in medical techniques for a bit. Most of your training will be high end ninjutsu that can take advantage of that absurd chakra capacity you have. You will still need to learn anatomy and non-chakra methods of healing, but proper medical techniques are far beyond you right now."

Seeing his slightly mollified expression, she decided it was safe to continue. "The attack in Vegetable convinced me that it would be a good idea to supplement your standard techniques with offensive ninjutsu. However, I am far from an expert in that field, and will be taking that training slowly. I did have the forethought to bring along some reading material though." Reaching into her pack, Tsunade retrieved the Hokage's hat. To the surprise of both Chunin, she managed to summon an oversized scroll from a tiny imprint in the items brim. "The Hokage's hat happens to have a number of highly secure seals woven into its structure to insure the safety of village treasures. As irritating as it is to carry around like this, with the seals I was able to drag along nearly the entire village ninjutsu library. Also Naruto, if the report I read was accurate; you should recognize just what this is."

Pointing a shaking digit at the scroll, Naruto had gone an interesting shade of white. "That's the Forbidden Scroll! You mean that was with our stuff the whole time? If the Janin had gotten through us, then the village would have lost one of its biggest secrets!" Blinking at the declaration, Tsunade paled a bit as well. Since he had started using his brain, Naruto was beginning to get a little scary. "Well, they would have had to decode the seal release first, but yes actually, that might have happened. Fortunately, you both exceeded my expectations and successfully defeated the threat! So no worries, ok?" Seeing both Chunin release a relieved breath, Tsunade felt the sweat drop trail down unnoticed. She was going to have to be more careful, wasn't she?

Shaking off the feeling of impending doom, she decided to get back on track. "Alright, now that we are heading towards a fairly safe location, I will try to pick up your training. Naruto, you will be given the next safe jutsu within the scroll, on top of any physical and chakra development training that we do. Hinata, I'm going to give you the first technique in the scroll, and use that as a measure of your progress. But be warned, I don't plan on giving these techniques out for free! You will not only have to fully master their usage before progressing, but maintain your studies of medical techniques before another one will be released. Do you both understand?"

Clearly happy at the idea of new techniques, both Chunin saluted smartly. "Hai, Hokage-sama!" Smirking at their politeness, Tsunade resealed the scroll before forming a series of hand signs. "Summoning Justu!" Before her students, a slightly distended Slug appeared, before presenting an ornate blue scroll. "Now, as my students, you are both entitled to sign the Slug Summoning Contract. Lucky for you, Naruto that multiple summonings are possible, as long as the different summon creatures are not in conflict with one another. Most ninja just don't have the reserves to make multiple contracts practical, and are unwilling to share with others. Now Naruto, please demonstrate the proper method of accepting a contract to Hinata please."

Smiling at the thought of more instant friends, Naruto bit his thumb, before writing his name in blood right behind Shizune's place on the contract. Removing a kunai from her side pouch, Hinata followed the same procedure. Clapping her hands, Tsunade addressed the Hyuga. "Now, to summon I want you to concentrate on your target summon creature, apply a bit of blood, and form these hand seals. Then, you will release enough chakra to summon a suitable companion. Keep in mind that the more chakra you use, the larger the summoning is, ok?"

Nodding, Hinata used her still bleeding finger to form the appropriate hand signs. Focusing as much chakra as she dared into her palm, she yelled, "Summoning Jutsu!" The cloud of smoke was impressive, but the tiny slug was slightly underwhelming. Patting his friend on the back, Naruto grinned. "That was great, Hinata-chan! I didn't even get a fully formed toad until the third week under Ero-sennin!" Noting the rising temperature of the young kunoichi, Tsunade barely stopped from releasing a shit-eating grin. Kids really were too cute.

Seeing Naruto make to bite his finger again to give it a try, Tsunade stopped him with a word. "Not right now, Naruto. With your current chakra capacity and control, you might summon anything from a baby slug to the Slug Queen. We cannot risk being exposed or your entire diversion back there would have been rendered useless. You'll get to attempt it later when we have a bit more room. Besides, I have something special just for you. Come over here for a minute."

Removing another, smaller scroll, Tsunade had him sign it as well. "This is a copy of the Monkey Summoning Contract that I found in Sarutobi-sensei's files. With them on your side, you won't have to summon a boss that takes up so much space and can still fight. Sign it, and try to call forth the strongest representative you can, alright?" Nodding in agreement, Naruto bit his hand again to gain enough blood, and then sealed the deal. The only thing left to do was to test it.

With Naruto's level of Chakra control, Tsunade was half expecting Naruto to summon one of the baby apes. So despite her own warnings, the blonde almost jumped out from her skin when Monkey King Enma appeared before them. Gulping, she couldn't help but wonder if the ancient monkey remembered the time her Genin team had played that little prank with the tar, honey and bananas. Seeing his sudden gimlet eye at her presence, Tsunade had this disturbing feeling that he did. Perhaps she could blame it all on Jiraiya?

Raising an eyebrow at his new summoner, Enma sighed. "So I see that the little Princess still thinks herself above her station. Was not the Slug Contract enough for your tastes, girl? You have not defeated my primary summoner in battle, nor have you sought my permission before signing the little fox child to me. Why, pray tell, should I allow this self righteous act to stand? It is well within my power to negate this bind, and such an act sorely tempts me."

Preparing her argument, Tsunade was horrified when Naruto stood up to the Monkey King without fear. This decision could NOT go well. "Hey listen up you withered coot! Baa-chan says that you were the Old Man's personal summon, right? Well you're looking at Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage, and what's good enough for one Hokage is surely good enough for another! Besides, Boss Gamabunta is way cooler than you! Baa-chan just thought you'd make a good back-up summoning, or something!" Noting the old king's flaring nostrils, Tsunade prayed that they could explain before the foolish boy was ripped limb from limb. However, the look in the King's eyes stopped her cold.

"You think that YOU could become Hokage, child? That's the most preposterous claim I have yet to hear! I have known every Hokage to this date, and you are nothing like them! Tell me what makes you think that you are worthy of holding the title? What gives you the right to claim such a position?" Puffing out his cheeks, the boy stared down the summon without fear. "Because I never go back on my word and that is my ninja way! I will become Hokage, and protect everyone, no matter what they did in the past! Otherwise, I'd become the monster they thought I was, and those precious to me might die! So bring on your test, or challenge old monkey, and I'll show you what I can do!"

Hoping to nip THAT in the butt, Tsunade interjected. "Actually Enma-sama, I was hoping we could forego that for the moment. Naruto is recovering from a long term injury, and is nowhere near his full potential. If you could give me some more time, I might be able to bring him up to an acceptable level for your trial." Cocking an eyebrow, Enma focused his full attention on the Slug Princess. "What injury could possibly put this child down? Sarutobi would talk of him at times, and his extraordinary health was a topic of much debate. Did that old fool miss more than the signs of Orochimaru's evil?"

Looking over at the suddenly down trodden Naruto, Tsunade explained the situation. As expected, when the seals were mentioned the poor boy began to withdraw into his thoughts. Surprisingly enough, Hinata kept her cool while offering some comfort. If things continued in that vein, she might just have to arrange their first date before too much longer. However, the killing intent that the summon produced broke up any thoughts of romantic advice. Enma was clearly ready to wipe out the village himself.

"Those FOOLS! They would do such an act, almost invalidating the Yondaime's Sacrifice? I told Sarutobi he was too trusting! If the Shinigami hadn't consumed his soul, I would beat him within an inch of his life for such an oversight!" Looking at the young blonde, Enma frowned before sighing. "Fine child, I will acknowledge a debt is owed you, and the Monkey Clan are not above admitting its existence. While our primary summoner tried to help you, it is clear to me that he failed a significant portion of his duties in regards to your upbringing. Therefore, my trial is a simple one. Once you return to Konoha, you are to seek out Sarutobi's grandson, and return this scroll to him. It is technically a family version of the main scroll, and not meant for outsiders. Therefore, until this task is done, you may draw on my strength. Afterwards, your name will be added to the main scroll, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. However, before that comes to pass, no one else may sign this scroll, or face my wrath. Is that understood?"

Shaking his head in acceptance, Naruto pulled himself out of his funk long enough for a sloppy salute. "You've got it Monkey King! I'll make sure that Konohamaru gets that scroll as soon as possible, once we get back to Konoha!" Smiling at child antics, Enma nodded his acceptance. "Very well, just make sure that Asuma doesn't get his little hands on it. He lost the chance to gain the clan summons once he left Konoha to serve the Daimyo directly. Farewell for now." The poof of smoke from the release was enormous.

Sighing, Tsunade gave a rueful chuckle. She should have realized that Naruto would have conquered the issue of the Monkey King the same way he beat her. He might not be a genius just yet, but he could be the most stubborn creature in the world when he wanted something. Although, before he tried to put the hat on, she was so giving him some diplomacy and social training. Now they just had to explain the noises and special effects that escaped her perimeter silencing jutsu to Chishima. Hopefully they could do this without Naruto spilling the details in his excitement about returning the scroll to Konohamaru.

Much later, Tsunade would curse her lack of observational skills. In all the excitement of signing the contracts, she failed to notice the rather accelerated speed in which Hinata's cut finger healed; a fact that would come back to bite her.

-----

Akame Iwana had been a Genin at the time of the Kyuubi attack. His skills were mediocre at best, and his contribution to the battle was herding civilians to the shelters for safety. It was only after the battle, and the casualties had been calculated, that the young boy had discovered the death of his Jonin Sensei. For days after the funeral, he had mourned his surrogate father figure, wallowing in his own helplessness. Some would have been inspired by the selfless actions the dead ninja had taken to become stronger or protect his remaining loved ones.

Akame Iwana decided to hate the Kyuubi with his entire soul, before moving on to the next best thing. Lucky for Naruto, Akame wasn't a man of action. It took him nearly four tries to get Chunin rank, and chances were he would never progress higher in the food chain. However, that did not prevent him from bad mouthing the blonde brat at every opportunity, usually while drunk. If not for the fact that twenty witnesses had seen him loose his eye on a B-ranked guarding mission, the Chunin might have blamed the maiming on the kid as well.

However, with the departure of the Godaime and the strong emotions building over the Jinchuuriki's treatment, Iwana felt like venting. Every Friday night since Tsunade's escape, he had gone to his favorite bar, loudly complaining about the demon brat and wishing they had killed him when they had the chance. These statements would find some sympathy, and he usually wouldn't get thrown out until one in the morning because others would get sick of it. That night, though, a couple of ANBU involved in the Danzou incident had gotten involved. As a result, the poor Chunin was left high and dry hours earlier than normal. That would be his undoing.

Mumbling obscenities about evil little blonde children, the one-eyed Chunin staggered along the village streets. Unmindful of the disapproving looks his appearance was gaining, Iwana began thinking on bars that might welcome his business that time of day. He was seriously contemplating a dive twenty minutes away when he heard it. A soft, feminine crying that just screamed civilian in danger was through the alley to his left. This was just the sort of thing that drunken ninja got quick and easy thank you sex over.

Entering the alley, he was treated to a sight out of Icha Icha! A short, helpless brunet with an amazing body was just lying there, crying. Hearing him approach, the shy little thing looked up in fear, with the widest eyes he had ever seen. Suddenly, it was all he could do to breathe. Never had such a vision of loveliness focused her attention on him. It was a dream come to life!

"You're not going to hurt me, are you?" The voice, soft and sweet on the breeze sent his heart aflutter. Shaking his head stupidly, the Chunin was almost blinded by the purity of her smile. Surely this was a spirit sent to him as a reward for his bravery! All they had to do was leave this dirty alley, get to his apartment, and things could progress as fate had decreed!

Clapping her hands in sudden excitement, the angel seemed to have been struck by a revelation. "Oh wonderful! Then you can help me and my friends! Come out you two, he won't hurt us!" Iwana felt dizzy at the sight of the two friends, each bustier and more heavenly than the last. He was in heaven, pure and simple! The one on the left began to laugh, an experience so pure it moved him to tears. The one on the right pushed her small glasses back, framing pretty eyes on a heart shaped face. The dumbstruck Chunin didn't know who to ogle first!

Reaching towards her shoulder, the glasses-wearing beauty almost whispered, "You know, there are a lot of things we need help with. With our special teamwork, I'm sure you would enjoy the experience." Seeing the other two begin to strip with inch after inch of wondrous flesh being revealed, was simply too much. Akame Iwana, thirty two year old Chunin of the leaf, was blown unconscious by his nose bleed.

Standing up, the center girl formed a hand seal, reforming into Konohamaru. "Well it's about time! I have to wonder about this guy. I mean, a normal dude would have passed out when he realized there were three of us!" Dispersing her own technique, Moegi giggled at the stupid expression on the Chunin's face. "Yeah, but the Boss's technique worked like a charm! One defeated enemy Ninja and we're not even out of the Academy yet! He really is a genius!" Sniffing, Udon began to strip the Ninja of his gear, after waving a sleeping herb under his nose. "So what should we do with the jerk, Konohamaru?"

Reaching behind an adjacent dumpster, Konohamaru pulled out a pack, some ninja wire, and a strip of orange cloth. "We might not be strong enough to teach this guy some respect, but I know a group that can! Come and help me get him changed. This bastard won't know what hit him!" Nodding their agreement, the Konohamaru Corps began to prepare the first victim of their campaign to teach Konoha a lesson they would never forget.

-----

Koharu began to focus her chakra as the sun set. She had been an active ninja for decades, and had developed a level of control and technique that outshone kunoichi half her age. Each movement was simple, elegant and efficient, allowing maximum effect with minimum effort. With such a level of ability, there was no way she could allow herself to lose this challenge. The enemy was going down, no question asked!

Said vicious enemy darted between the elderly kunoichi's legs before the genjutsu could take effect. Homura darted down from the tree line, hoping to intercept the speedy projectile. However, years of administrative work had caused his physical skills to wither somewhat. Therefore, he zigged when he should have zagged, allowing their enemy to counterattack. His cries of pain were daggers in his old friend's chest.

Quickly forming another genjutsu, Koharu managed to entrap the enemy if barely. Suddenly viewing itself pinned with a series of swords, the quick and agile beast was forced into immobility. No matter how much it struggled, the genjutsu held, ending the mission. Exhausted, Koharu fell to the ground gasping. She was going to find that stupid woman and give her a tongue lashing. No normal cat should be this hard to catch, or run at full tilt for two hours!

Besides securing Tora the demon cat, Jiraiya had the Advisor's council doing various D-rank missions all day long. If they were not digging up potatoes from the dirt, the elderly ninjas were chaperoning birthday parties. Not only was their payment being withheld to cover the cost of the supposed retraining, but that ungrateful Toad Brat wouldn't even see them again until a hundred such missions were completed. When they tried to question his sanity, he asked them if their skills were seriously behind a bunch of freshly graduated Academy Brats. After all, such weak ninjas really had no place in Konoha's forces. The two had learned to keep their mouths shut after that.

However, the stress of capturing Tora was more than they bargained for. Putting down the evil feline, Koharu and Homura collapsed by the side of the road, for once unmindful of appearances. Just getting the damn thing was draining enough, but delivering it was far beyond their abilities at the moment. Thankfully, their distressed state had clearly attracted the attention of one of the sympathetic civilians, who began to approach to offer some aid. Unfortunately, this late in the day, both advisors were well aware as to what would happen.

Blocking the civilian's approach, ANBU Tenzou calmly recited the same statement they had learned to loathe all day. "Advisors Homura and Koharu are currently undertaking an evaluation of their skills established by the Regent Hokage Jiraiya. Any interference by outside elements could invalidate the nature of the exercise and require them to start over. While I am sure that they appreciate your concern, I am afraid that you must continue on." Obviously confused, the civilian left the two exhausted ninja on the street, before Tenzou disappeared.

All day, a different ANBU would shadow them by the hour, insuring that they wouldn't cheat by conscripting outside help. The agents answered no questions, offered no assistance, and gave the impression of laughing at their misfortune. The only talkative one had been Yugao, and that was to inform the two the ANBU were for their protection, and had all volunteered their time for the endeavor. That didn't fool the advisors for a second. They had been put into protective custody, and there wasn't a bloody thing they could do about it!

Forcing herself to stand, Koharu made a silent vow. She didn't care how long it took, or how many favors she would need to call in. Tsunade and Jiraiya had put them through the deepest levels of hell, so she would reciprocate. As soon as such action wouldn't harm Konoha, she would wring their pathetic spoiled necks. That was HER promise of a lifetime!

-----

Shizune was a ninja of significant power, but even she had a breaking point. Three days after leaving the Land of Vegetable, and her relations with Naruto had not improved at all. Her attempts to begin conversations fell flat, inquiries were barely acknowledged, and every try to isolate him for a chat were thwarted by either his stubbornness or Hinata's timely intervention. No matter how resolute Shizune tried to be, or subtle her methods were, Naruto would slip through her grasp every time. Well, enough was enough.

After finishing dinner, the young healer did something so unexpected, that the wily blonde had no counter prepared. She simply walked up to the studying Chunin and grabbed him by the back of the coat. Ignoring his angry shouting, Hinata's gasp of surprise, and Tsunade's chuckles, Shizune dragged the boy into the forest. The air was going to be cleared, even if she had to break every bone in his little body to do it. So she would swear on her uncle s grave!

Staring into his eyes, Shizune decided that subtlety was getting her nowhere. "Naruto, I know that you are still pissed at me. However, if we are going to work together, this silent treatment has to stop. Now we are going to talk about this like ninja and come to an understanding, ok? Otherwise, I might let you deal with Tsunade the next time she finds too much sake." Gulping, Naruto nodded his head in acceptance.

Assured that he would not try to bolt at the first sign of trouble Shizune sat down. "Naruto, I know that you weren't happy with the orders that I gave you. But please understand it from my point of view. You are still somewhat injured, and as the highest ranking ninja on site, it was my job to insure your survival. Despite the massive progress you have made your practical skills still need significant work. With your current level of physical and chakra control, I would be surprised if you could take on an elite Genin right now, let alone a Jonin. I simply acted with the information I had to insure the best chance of success. Maybe using that technique on you was wrong, but I was out of time. Please, believe me when I say that I never wanted to hurt you."

Looking her in the eyes, Naruto seemed to be in pain. "Don't worry, Shizune-nee-chan! I know that you only did what you thought was best. It's not like I wanted to get in the way." Looking into the lively blonde's face, the medic in Shizune was struck by a sense of wrongness. After dealing with Naruto so personally for the last few weeks, Shizune had begun to understand the truth lying behind Naruto's smiles. Some were so happy and innocent, like his numerous conversations with Hinata, and others were rueful, such as his constant defeats in Chinese Checkers. However, the smile before her was neither of those. It simply made her want to cry, and that was something that she wouldn't allow.

Before the boy could move, Shizune had grabbed him in a hug. "You are not useless, or in the way or any of that tripe! Naruto, I have seen the potential that you possess, and it has nothing to do with that stupid fox. You are kind, considerate, and inspire others to do their best!" Moving to look the shocked child in the eye, Shizune tried to force him to understand. "I spent years trying to get Tsunade to recover from the loss of her precious people, something that you managed in a little over a week. I've seen you fight impossible odds and come out on top, so don't you ever think that I doubt your strength. But Naruto, you're important to all of us, so sometimes we will try to work to protect you. I didn't order you to leave because of what was important to the mission. I ordered you to leave to keep you safe!"

Gulping, Naruto suddenly looked extremely fragile and open. Belatedly, Shizune could not help but wonder if those words were really that unusual. From what she had observed, Naruto had a lot of important people in his life. Surely he had to believe that they would protect him just like he protected them, right? Wiping his eyes, Naruto gave her the first honest smile of the evening. "Alright, Shizune-nee-chan! I'll try to be careful. But remember, as the future Hokage, I am going to protect everyone here! I give you my word, and I never take that back. You got it?"

Smiling, Shizune kissed him on the forehead. "Oh, I've got it Naruto-kun. Now let's get you back to Hinata-chan gets worried, ok? I think that she and I are overdue for a chat." Nodding dumbly, the blushing blonde followed her back to the camp. Neither would realize it, but that brief encounter would be telling in the future. Many things would go into making Naruto the kind of Ninja he needed to be, but it would be that moment that changed his ideas more than any other. Never again would the blonde view becoming the Hokage as simply a way to protect his friends. Instead, it would be an opportunity to work with his loved ones to insure each other's happiness. It was a subtle difference, but the elemental countries would be all the better for it.

-----

Humming lightly, Sakura headed for the bathhouse for a long soak. Ever since Jiraiya had been installed as regent, more and more kunoichi had come to appreciate the sanctuary of the hot springs. Apparently, the theory was that he was so busy dealing with the workings of Konoha, that the old letch wouldn't bother their realization. The pinket could only hope that those rumors were accurate. After today, she could use some peace and quiet.

Akamaru had been released early into Kiba's care that morning, and the bloody mutt had been insufferable as a result. Kurenai-sensei had spent two hours working on team drills that would incorporate the ninja dog's skill set effectively. She had nearly tripped on the poor little guy for the first five drills before they had worked out a stable pattern. Luckily, Akamaru wasn't quite as upset as his owner about Hinata's promotion. As long as he had a girl to pet him and a few treats, his tail couldn't wag fast enough.

After their team drills had been solidified, Kurenai had split them up for specialized training. Kiba had bolted with Akamaru for coordination drills, which looked kind of similar to walking the dog. Shino had begun to search the forest for new insects, using the exercise as a form of meditation. However, with her two teammates already set in their patterns, Sakura finally got personalized training in the one field Kurenai was known for. The experience was nothing like she expected.

Genjutsu not only required impressive chakra control, but creativity. Fooling a single sense like sight or hearing was relatively simple. However, masters like Kurenai could manipulate every sense at once, creating entirely new realities for their victims. While Sakura had the chakra control and precision to master genjutsu forms, that was not enough. Kurenai explained that, during their time together, the goal was to make the weaker kunoichi into someone who could use a softer touch to accomplish more than the strongest strike.

She then spent four hours learning how to make a bird call that wasn't there. According to sensei, most ninja would expect illusions to change their view point. However, by messing with sound, a genjutsu user could send false signals or spring traps. Sakura was shocked at how easy it was, but nothing she accomplished impressed Kurenai in the slightest. Every faucet of the technique was dissected, altered, and refined until she could produce anything from the cry of a hawk to beating humming bird wings.

Surprisingly despite the difficulty of the technique and the chakra exhaustion afterwards, Sakura had a ball. Every exercise up to this point had been draining and unfamiliar to the point of frustration. However with Genjutsu, she could develop her talent through pure mental effort. Also, with it she could actually fulfill a useful position within the team that neither Shino or Kiba had already mastered. This could be her way of demonstrating her potential that no one else had managed!

Apparently, regardless of her constant criticism of Sakura's attempts, something in the practice must have impressed Kurenai. Therefore, at the end of the session she informed everybody that they would be attempting a D-rank mission the next day to get used to working together! Sakura knew that even with her issues with Kiba, they could manage a simple D-ranked mission. This was her chance to move forward, and show everybody that she had changed. Tomorrow was going to be a great day!

Humming as she prepared for the bath, Sakura eagerly opened the door to the springs. Much to her surprise, they were already occupied by the squirming form of one Akame Iwana. The fact that he was tied up with wire, gagged, and only wearing an orange diaper didn't even register. Months of dealing with Naruto's attentions came to the forefront. While she didn't blame the boy like she once did, the Chunin in front of her had no such protection. The pinket had just found her new perverted practice dummy.

Iwana's screams echoed throughout Konoha, a grim reminder as to what was to come.

-----

Kakashi sighed as he looked into the depths of the fire. Konoha was only a few days away, but he felt like his bones were on fire. After finally getting started on his S-rank mission, the Copy Cat had needed to run for nearly a week just to catch up. His target was originally supposed to be caught on his way to an official function in Grass Country. However, by the time he had found them the function was over and the target was back in his base; a base that was surrounded by nearly three hundred soldiers and twenty A-rank ninja. Infiltration of the base took days, and escaping without issue after the deed took nearly twice as long.

However, without the threat of eminent death Kakashi was forced to consider what to do when he returned to Konoha. Hopefully, Tsunade would have calmed down enough to order Sasuke's chakra to be unsealed, so at the most he should be in prison. Once they could talk about the situation like reasonable adults, he would have to come up with a punishment strong enough to show his own displeasure. The boy had not been taught the Chidori to use on his teammates, and would have to be educated on the realities of such a choice.

Then there was Naruto. Poor boy was probably snarked off something fierce about having his sensei's signature technique used against him. As tricky as it could be, he would simply have to settle for teaching him a new move. Being a perfectionist, Kakashi disliked teaching something new to someone who didn't have the basics down. However, Naruto had earned a small break and at least a B-ranked ninjutsu. They could concentrate more on his accuracy and control later.

At least he didn't have to worry about the kid dying. With his rate of recovery, and over a month of the personal care of Tsunade, there was no way Naruto was still injured. Sasuke might be in worst shape all things considered. That battle had been fierce, and some of the attacks thrown around had shifted the countryside. Maybe he should hold off on any training until the entire team was back on their feet?

Going over his entire ninjutsu library, Kakashi began to consider which technique to teach the blonde. Since his rival was focused primarily upon fire ninjutsu, perhaps a water technique would be best? Heck, Zabuza had provided a couple of moves that would greatly improve Naruto's style. The hidden mist jutsu would increase his stealth greatly, hiding that atrocious orange he insisted on wearing. On the other hand, that water prison thing wouldn't be too hard to set up with some shadow clones. Anyways, no matter what happened he would come up with something to distract him. Just mentioning a new technique would probably make Naruto jump around like a happy idiot for days.

Lightly dozing, the Copy Cat Ninja couldn't help but think that he was forgetting something.

-----

Ah, man am I tired...

Ok, I am very thankful for the strong support and interest that the last chapter generated. However, I am sorry to say that despite your best efforts, NO ONE got the actual reference to Hidaka's name! So no shout outs for you!

In all seriousness, that name was borrowed from Shivakashi's one-shot _The Best Dates are the Cheap Ones. _It is an excellent read, and I highly recommend it. I am sorry to say that this was done without permission, but since I didn't steal the actual characterization, I am hopeful that the wonderful author involved won't get too pissed at me -_-;;;

Now, since there was some minor debate about this, I will be very clear. Naruto is not a god because of Shadow Clone Jutsu. The technique is nothing more than a force multiplier, and as shown in cannon he is not invincible just because he can generate dozens of copies of himself. It is simply a foundation stone in his construction of a true fighting style. Give me some time to work on that please...

In regards to Hinata's remorse about the death of Jiga; she's not sad that she killed someone. That was a fact the poor girl has been preparing for over the course of years. The thing that she was having issues with was the very bloody nature of his death. There's a bit of a stigma concerning bloody kills in the Hyuga clan, and she simply saw the extreme way he died as another way she was separate from the clan. Naruto feels bad because on some level, he doesn't think that his life is worth more than the lives of others. It's not that Hinata is worthless; it's that if anyone has to kill to save his life, he thinks that it should be his burden. Poor guy still has a bit of a martyr complex. -_-;;;

Now while there were other topics that interested me, I think I'll leave things as they are. Unfortunately, I have an early morning tomorrow. ;_;

Now in the next chapter, we have confrontations, moments of fate, and emergency medical miracles! Stay tuned, cause I can only get more twisted from here :)


	14. Bumps in the Road

No I don't own Naruto. I make no such claims about Ichiraku Ramen (in my dreams anyways) :)

Chapter Thirteen: Bumps in the Road

Looking out the window, Haruna couldn't help but sigh. She had only returned to the Land of Vegetables four days ago, and already felt like pulling her hair out. If a courier wasn't trying to suck up, her father was attempting to arrange an audience. Although the princess had been born here, Vegetable still felt like a foreign land. Instead of being a valued hostage, she had to adjust to the life of a princess once again. The transition was anything but smooth.

With the bloody purge of traitors from the court, Haruna had suddenly become the hope for the country's future. While still loved, the current Daimyo had still tarnished his image with such a thorough purge of the opposition. Many were hopeful that she could recapture the kindness that had marked the ruling family for generations. Be it moral superiority or self righteous hypocrisy, no one in the land wished to be seen as militaristic. Of course, if that led to young girls being shipped of as bargaining chips, then it was simply the price of doing business.

While she was mindful of the realities ofthe world, the princess simply could not decide how to treat the source of her confliction. The Daimyo might be her father, but he had always led the country first and foremost. While he had hosted a welcome home dinner in her honor, the two hadn't really spoken since her return. He couldn't seem to find the right words to reach her, and Haruna didn't have the energy to care. How was she supposed to relate to a man who threw a young child to the wolves like that? She hadn't been mistreated or harmed during her stay as a hostage, but Haruna still felt like something was missing. What was so important about this country that it ranked above her life?

Being in such a high pressure position for years had led Haruna to have a very elevated opinion of her importance. It wasn't so much a measure of vanity but indoctrination. Every day growing up, her hosts had made a point of mentioning how her behavior affected hundreds of thousands of people. While this was a mixture of intimidation tactics and an attempt to impress the seriousness of the situation on her, Haruna simply took it as fact. She was more important than those below her, and their lives were nothing compared to her own. She wasn't petty or cruel, just lacking perspective.

Those closest to her had no way of changing such ideals. While in captivity, she had not been given the option of interacting with others. Haruna was not the only hostage taken to insure peace, and there was always the fear that these little children would grow up as allies joined by hatred. Thus, the only people the princess dealt with directly were her personal guards, who were charged with her safety first and foremost. Arguing morals with her was not something the two ninja were really capable of.

Frustrated by the situation, Haruna stood. While there were few things that she really recalled about her country, the princess did have an idea to alleviate her boredom. Before leaving, she had discovered a protected grove that was used to contain potential political ally's during negotiation. While it was small, the field of flowers there could grow to be quite beautiful, and might calm her down. Remembering the things she enjoyed about Vegetable would probably make ruling the country all the more bearable.

Heading out, she only just noted the presence of her bodyguards. While some would be annoyed by the constant observation, Haruna had been dealing with it her whole life. At this point, Kikunojou and Yurinojou were more fixtures than people. They would never betray her, and existed only to insure her safety. Some would call such people friends, but all Haruna saw were personal weapons. Such was the life of a ninja.

No one impeded them, and the distance was not far. It had been years, but Haruna surprised herself with a very good memory. The walk was pleasant, and she couldn't help but relax at the sight of such beauty and peace. While she might not agree with some of her father's methodology, the princess had to admit that Vegetable was a beautiful if diminutive country. Everything here would be hers someday, so she might as well learn to enjoy it.

However, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a sudden cry. Curious, Haruna hurried forward, ignoring the calls of her bodyguards. Breaking through the tree line, the princess was shocked by the sight before her. The beautiful flower field had been shredded, with deep brown scars marring the surface. The surrounding trees were broken and splintered into kindling, while the lake was a muddy silted mess; so much for her relaxing, hidden sanctuary.

But the source of the damage was the outrageous thing. There had to be fifty, orange covered ninja running around like hyperactive bunnies! A fairly large group was clawing up the trees, bark shattering under their feet with each step. Others would jump up and down on the water's surface, performing jumping jacks, tumbles, and cart wheels. Those that remained appeared to be practicing some basic techniques, including Replacement, Transformation and Clones. Somehow, since her departure from the country, Vegetable had acquired a crazy infestation of blondes!

Mindful of the protection of her guards, Haruna decided to put an end to this vandalism. "In the name of my father, Daimyo of Vegetable, I command you to stop! What do you idiots think you're doing? Do you have any idea how hard it will be to repair all of this?" Suddenly, every single blonde stopped to look at her. One of the ninja took a quick glance at the field and winced. Scratching his head, the rumpled figure gave the angry princess a sheepish look. "Ah, oops?"

-----

Reaching the border of the Land of Birds, Tsunade gave Chishima a look. "Now, remember our deal. You are to go directly to the Daimyo's children and explain our demands. They and they alone are to know about our presence in the country until I get a feel for this Mousou guy. Once you have explained the situation, come back here to retrieve us and I'll heal your leader if it is at all possible." Sighing unhappily, the young man nodded his acceptance before heading down the road as quickly as he could manage.

Sitting down, she idly noted the others establishing a small perimeter. While Tsunade didn't think that they would have much trouble in a country like Bird, she didn't want to take any chances. Besides, they had been going for nearly a week straight, and should probably rest while they could. Naruto had regained the ability to tree walk nearly three days ago, but the required focus left him exhausted. Poor boy looked so worn out, that he didn't even respond when Hinata sat next to him for company.

Looking around the Slug Princess smiled at the serene atmosphere. The area was a little foggy for her taste, but it was peaceful and quiet. Hopefully, after healing the Daimyo, she could set them up in a little valley somewhere and get to serious training. Both Hinata and Naruto had reached the point in their training that space was going to be an issue. If she was going to teach the blonde forbidden ninjutsu, he was going to need some major legroom to work in. Of course, Hinata's training also required a lot of room. Dodging explosives shouldn't be done without enough area after all.

Hopefully before relocating, both Chunin would be in a much better position to defend themselves. If all went according to plan, Naruto would know five techniques from the Forbidden Scroll, and regain the full use of his motion. Once they found a new base, she could start teaching him to dodge on instinct, improving his taijutsu from simply running full tilt at an enemy. Hinata on the other hand needed to begin work on her herb lore and diagnostic jutsu. With her control, she should be able to heal a fish within the month. Both were Chunin now, but with a little more work, each could become low Jonin level ninja in terms of power.

Settling in, Tsunade called her compatriots over for a game of cards to pass the time. However, as the sun started to set, Tsunade felt nervous. The Land of Birds was not a large country, and Chishima had been moving fairly quickly. By all rights he should have reached the palace hours ago. If the situation was as dire as he described, the boy should have started running back to their position by now. What could possibly be taking so long?

Finally as the dusk settled in, Chishima approached their camp slowly. Straightening his back, he approached Tsunade much more stiffly than before. "I have secured you an audience with the Prince, but I am afraid that it might be too little too late." Frowning, the blonde quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "What, does he not trust me to treat his father?" Eyes shining, Chishima surprised her with a large, dramatic sniff. "No Tsunade-sama. However, we were too late. The Daimyo passed away three days after I left the Land of Birds." Flinching at the sorrow in his tone, Tsunade couldn't help but wonder what they should do now.

-----

Looking over his desk, Jiraiya tried not to show his nervousness. Being the Hokage regent hadn't been tough so far. Sure, he had sent some people to their deaths, and played his own games with the elders, but nothing done up to this point had been much of a challenge. However, the group before him represented so much potential destruction that he couldn't even enjoy looking at the exotic blonde. If he was reading the signs right that dope Shikamaru was going to become one lucky bastard when he got older.

Meeting his gaze without fear, Gaara stated their objective without inflection. "Jiraiya-sama, my team wishes to return to Suna. We have been here for nearly two months, and believe that our village would be better served with our homecoming." Nodding his agreement, Jiraiya attempted to maintain his normal bravado. "Well, the situation that originally brought you here has been resolved, so I guess it's alright. Just out of curiosity, though, what's the rush? By that reasoning, you should have left weeks ago. Is there something wrong with our hospitality?"

Snorting, Kankurou visibly composed himself. "Believe it or not, your citizenship has a bunch of big mouths. We've been hearing complaints about that Uzumaki brat for weeks now and are getting kind of sick of it. If we don't leave soon, Gaara might not be able to contain himself for much longer. Besides, with everything we've learned about your Academy, we're more than ready to start rebuilding Suna's forces." Noting the anger building in the redhead's eyes, Jiraiya tried to hold back a shiver. He had heard rumors about Gaara's sealing matrix, and if even one of the stories were true, he wanted to run for the high hills. What sort of idiot allowed such a weak seal to be used on a Bijuu?

Smiling nervously, the Great Toad Sage gestured towards the door. "Well, I thank you for your efforts. If Suna ever needs any help, just send us a messenger bird and we'll do what we can, ok? Have a pleasant trip home." Nodding, Temari and Kankurou turned towards the door, only to be brought up shot by their younger sibling. "If you hear from Tsunade-sama, please tell her to visit Suna if they have the time." Blinking, Jiraiya focused upon the unstable Jinchuuriki. "What would they want in Suna?"

Frowning, Gaara almost appeared to be surrounded by an outline of ferocious brown chakra for a moment. "I was most displeased that I could not talk with Uzumaki before he left. I would simply like to speak with him, as friends." Eyes widening at the show of power, Jiraiya nodded rapidly. "Of course, I apologize for the difficulty! As soon as I hear from them, I'll try to send the group your way, ok?" Nodding, Gaara turned to join his siblings in departure.

Wiping his forehead, Jiraiya began to wonder how to contact Tsunade with this little tidbit. He had heard that Naruto was the one to defeat Gaara during the invasion, but the little blonde somehow managed to inspire friendship at the same time? Really now, it only led to more questions than he knew how to deal with. One thing was for sure, he needed to discover the kid's secret. If a bottle of hair dye managed to generate friends like that, it would be well worth the expense!

Taking the crystal ball out for some recreation, Jiraiya was startled by a rapid pounding on the door. Cursing, he replaced the artifact before calling out. The sight of an angry Morino Ibiki was just the sort of mood killer that forced him to focus. Whatever the issue was had better be important. "Jiraiya-sama, we have a serious problem. I need you to come with me to the holding cells. The ROOT agents are going to be trickier than I thought."

-----

Following Chishima down the hidden passage, Tsunade couldn't help the feelings of frustration battering her mind. All of her careful planning was ruined by a disease that couldn't wait for a few days! Now they would probably have to leave within the week and find accommodations elsewhere. In fact, the grieving siblings might just inform their enemies about their presence as a petty act of revenge. During her career as a medic, she had seen the levels of stupidity that mourning family members could accomplish. If this meeting didn't go well, who knew what would happen?

Turning down a corridor, Chishima explained more details in a subdued tone. "When the previous lord passed, there was some conflict about who should take over the country. The prince Sagi-dono was set to take over the position, but several of the advisors questioned his ability. They thought that he was too young for the responsibility, and a regent should be appointed for a few years to give him time to adjust. Thankfully, with the help of my master, he managed to convince the majority of the leadership to trust him. However, Sagi-dono has only been the Daimyo for a few days, and is still adjusting to the experience. Please don't put too much pressure on him in this trying time."

Tsunade was about to reply when a scream cut through the silent hallway. Instincts honed in decades of battle came to the foreground as the blonde rushed forward to address the threat. Bursting through the door, Tsunade found a young man collapsed in the arms of a young brunet girl. Wasting no time, she forced the two apart to begin an analysis of the injured. "Shizune! Find me some water now! We need to extract the contaminant immediately!" Feeling the presence of her trusted student, the medic wasted no time getting to work.

Shaking herself, the brunet from earlier suddenly started to react. "Who are you people? What are you doing to my brother? Get away from him!" Ignoring Chishima's pleas, the girl grabbed for a ceremonial sword from the wall, clearly intending to attack them. Luckily, the two medics were spared from the distraction by an unlikely source. "Hey lady! Don't swing that! They're trying to help him, and you'll only get in the way!" Grabbing her arm, Naruto managed to remove the sword and sit the princess down.

Hurrying over, Chishima knelt before the woman. "Please, Toki-dono. This is Tsunade of the Sannin, the best medical ninja alive today. I had hoped that she would be able to help your father, but we were delayed. However, if there is anyone who can help your brother, it is this woman." Sniffing, the princess made no move to acknowledge his words, but didn't try to attack them again.

Frowning, Tsunade called out, "Hinata! Scan the palace and see if someone is trying to leave!" Nodding, the Hyuga activated her Byakugan to her maximum range. However, after nearly five minutes of searching, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-sensei. However, there is no one in the immediate vicinity that stands out. Most of the palace staff is in the kitchens, and no one is acting suspicious within the range of my sight."

Cursing, Tsunade focused all of her attention on the young Daimyo. Whatever this stuff was, it was crude but effective. The poor kid was no ninja, and his constitution was not fighting with any enhanced ability. This was supposed to be a simple mission, with the chance for solitude and sanctuary. Now it seemed like they were stuck in the middle of a plot to take over the country. Was this just her bad luck or Naruto's karma catching up with them?

-----

Ignoring the large groups of clones, Haruna sat with one of the odd children by the lake. After hearing about his identity, she had realized that her father had given his sensei the use of the land as she saw fit. As much as it pained her, even as the princess she couldn't simply order him to stop his training. Besides, she had been bored in the palace, and quite frankly, this kid's attitude was a breath of fresh air.

"Ne, ne Haruna! I'm really sorry for trashing the field like this. But with everything that happened with those Janin jerks, I didn't get to finish my training! Baa-chan said that using Shadow Clones would help me get my chakra control back, so I've been working nonstop since she left! I guess I just sort of lost track of what I was doing." Normally, the princess would have been angered by his casual form of address, but she had been dealing with suck-ups for days. A little break from "Hime-sama" wouldn't kill her, and it was only a clone of the kid anyways.

However, Kikunojou decided to get angry for her. "Show some respect child! Besides, how could you have set up Shadow Clones to train for nearly a week without supervision? There is no way that you maintained all of these clones for that long without any dispersing!" Glaring at the man who called him a liar, Naruto suddenly smirked. "Some did disperse. This is all that is left after nearly five hundred clones. Tsunade-baa-chan's clone broke after the second day, so we've just been doing the basic exercises she showed us." Gaping, the flower ninja both seemed to stiffen. While not trained in ninja techniques, Haruna gathered enough to assume that the feat the child described was nothing short of miraculous.

Tilting his head, the blonde eyed the princess with open curiosity. "Why are you here anyways? No one else has shown up, and I've been at this for days! I'd of thought that if everyone was making too much noise, someone from the palace would have complained before now." Grunting in irritation, Haruna eyed the little ninja before nodding her head. "If you must know, I used to come here as a child when things became difficult. With all of the containment and security techniques used to conceal this location, it was considered the most secure place to play in the country. Since I only got back about three days ago, this is the first time I have had a chance to come here to relax. For all the good that ended up doing me."

Raising an eyebrow, the clone turned back to view the waning training. "What do you have to be worried about? Your rich, highly placed, and are reunited with a father who loves you. I'd of thought that you would be celebrating being back here." Snorting, Haruna turned away angrily. "What's to celebrate? Instead of the life I have known for years, I'm stuck protecting a bunch of people who threw me away to save their own hides. Not because they came to their senses or my father was too lonely without me, but because it was convenient. Why should I care about such people or what they believe? What's the point of celebrating such a pathetic reunion?"

The boy grew to be quiet, and Haruna suddenly felt ashamed. Why should she unload her frustration on this kid? Even if he was just some sort of ninja clone, it wasn't like he could understand these sorts of things. It was just so hard to keep her resentment at bay, and the blonde made such an opportune target, she couldn't resist. Hopefully, he wouldn't hold the little burst of temper against her. He might be an annoying little boy, but the reports said that he also killed one of the Janin. It would be the worst sort of manners to talk down to someone instrumental in her father's continued survival.

However, Naruto was not known as the number one unpredictable ninja for nothing. So Haruna was treated with the sudden appearance of a serious Naruto; something that was happening more frequently since his unsealing. "You know, I think I can understand where you're coming from. It's hard, knowing that someone you care for puts others before you, isn't it? But making that sort of choice separates the good leaders from the bad ones."

Leaning back, the clone almost seemed lost in thought. His voice was soothing, and Haruna found herself being lulled into a sense of relaxed attention. "When I was really small, something did bad things to the village. I was part of the solution to the problem, but that meant that the hatred towards the true culprit was concentrated on me. Growing up, there were maybe three or four people who seemed to care for me, including the Third Hokage. If I had to think on it, I guess part of me saw him as a grandfather. He always seemed to be there for me, and was one of the few who understood I didn't do anything to get hated for. When I saw what sorts of stuff he did for the village and how people loved him, I decided I'd become Hokage and follow in his footsteps."

Sighing, Naruto turned a sad gaze on the princess, and she found herself almost tearing up. For such a loudmouth, this kid had very expressive eyes. "But he was still the Hokage, and had to protect the village first and foremost. I guess he could have tried to protect me from the people who tried to hurt me or get revenge. But then they would have wondered if the old man was still up for being Hokage, and might have tried to depose him. Then where would the village have been? So, I'm pretty sure he turned a blind eye to some of the worst stuff, just to keep everybody satisfied."

Sitting up, he treated the surprised princess with a grin. "However, I've got to believe he was doing what he thought was best for the village. That's what a leader does, you know. He protects his people like family, and keeps as many happy as possible. Oh sure, the leader might do stuff that others don't like or punish you. But the best leaders try to insure the happiness of the land and improve it, so that the future generations don't have to make the same bad choices. Or at least, make fewer bad choices than the ones before."

Blinking, Naruto snapped his fingers with a real smile. "That's it! Your father trusts you with his job because he knows you'll look after the people like they are your own! If those Janin had gotten control of the country, who knows what would have happened to everyone here? Now that your back, he can show you how to love and protect them to insure their happiness! That way, you can be happy too!"

Shaking her head in bemusement, Haruna poked the clone in the side. "You know brat, for such a little shrimp you've got some good advice." Pouting, Naruto looked down at the ground in irritation. "I guess that all that reading the old hag has had me doing lately is beginning to rub off or something. Oh, and I am not a shrimp! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!" Smiling in bemusement, Haruna held out hand. "Well then future Hokage, I am Haruna of Vegetable. Next time, we should do this in person, don't you think?"

Grinning, the clone jumped to his feet. "Sure thing Haruna-chan! Oh, but I'd better break the jutsu. Everyone here is almost out of chakra and it hurts if too many disperse at once. See you soon!" Much to the princess's private amusement and her bodyguard s irritation, the blonde disappeared in a puff of smoke. Suddenly feeling much lighter, Haruna decided to return to the palace. She couldn't start to lead her people from the middle of a flower patch after all.

-----

Wiping her forehead in exhaustion, Tsunade turned to address the fidgeting princess. "Well Toki-dono, we've managed to get his highnesses condition under control. However, your brother was very badly hurt and won't be able to leave this coma for about a week. With the right treatment and plenty of bed rest though, Daimyo-sama should be back on his feet in a little over a month after that." Subdued, Toki bowed to the Slug Sannin. "Thank you Tsunade-sama, we are in your debt. What malady has struck my brother down, and should we be concerned with contamination?"

Shaking her head, Tsunade sighed. "This was no disease. Someone managed to poison him with a fairly heavy duty metal-based substance. It doesn't leave much in the way of immediate symptoms, but the resulting shock is unmistakable. I'm afraid that this was a murder attempt." Noting the shocked looks on both the princesses and Chishima's faces, Tsunade snorted. "No reason to be so surprised. His appointment wasn't completely supported from what Chishima said, and there is also the matter of your father's death. I wouldn't be surprised if an examination of his corpse didn't have the same traces. Someone wants control of your country, and is not squeamish about killing to get it."

Gulping, the studious boy looked around nervously, as if a horde of assassins would descend upon them any minute. "But who could do such a thing? The royal family is loved and trusted in this land. No one would want a change of administration at this point in time." Shrugging, Tsunade shook her head. "I have no idea. We only came here today, and have very little understanding of the situation. In fact, if you want we could leave. I'm sure that you have enough on your plate without putting our group up as well." Frowning, Chishima attempted to look intimidating. "But who could tend the Daimyo but you, Tsunade-sama? If you leave and his condition worsens, all could be lost."

Narrowing her eyes, Toki began to view the ninja with open suspicion. "You know, this is awfully convenient. You arrive too late to save my father, and my brother suddenly becomes sick. Now, we have to keep you around or he could die. Isn't that a useful coincidence?" Snorting, Naruto glared at the paranoid princess. "Please, we only heard about the Daimyo dying when Chishima told us. There is no way we could coordinate something like this with only a few hours of warning and no intelligence about the palace. Are you on drugs or just that slow?"

Idly whacking her student over the head, Tsunade smirked. "He's got a mouth on him, but Naruto's got a point. Why would we arrange for your brother's death, and more importantly, why would we do something so stupid? Even if we saved his life, this is not some sort of official mission or obligation. Once I heard about your father's death, I was planning on leaving and keeping my nose out of it. Now I can't very leave this situation unresolved, can I?"

As the two princesses began to glare at one another, Hinata spoke up. "Umm...who would really benefit from the Daimyo's death though? Even with him gone, there is still Toki-dono to contend with. You were the next logical person to take the position, right?" Snorting, Toki shook her head. "Hardly; even as the next in line with royal blood, there were a lot of people questioning the wisdom of appointing my brother. No one would be interested in supporting my bid for the throne. Most likely, someone else in power would take the position and marry me off to another country. Of course, the only ones who could currently get away with it is either the Chief Strategist Koumei or the Chief Advisor Mousou. Both have strong bases of support and were powerful candidates after father died."

Sitting up straighter Chishima shook his head in frustration. "Mousou-sama would never do something like this! He has always supported the royal family, and never sought more power than he was granted!" Wincing at the volume, Shizune interjected. "However, that could have been a cover to throw off suspicion. Until more information is gathered, we cannot make any decisions. What we need most at the moment is time and solitude. Daimyo Sagi needs to be kept safe and we have to investigate who was in the best position to poison him in the first place. Unfortunately, once the local authorities get involved, we will lose the element of surprise and control of the situation."

Confronted with the real difficulties of the moment, the group fell silent. How were they going to solve this without alerting the enemy, or compromising their identities? Even if they left, the healer's code wouldn't be satisfied with a half-way solution. Surely there was a way to limit interference in the situation? Sighing, Toki raised her head. "I do believe that I have an idea, if you are willing to listen."

-----

Jiraiya carefully pulled the tongue from the subject's mouth. While the ROOT ninja tried to struggle, the Nara keeping him captive prevented anything dramatic from happening. Of course, after seeing the careful tattoo on the pinkish surface, Jiraiya almost wished the kid would try something. This sort of stress was just the sort of thing that he didn't need right now.

Frowning at the seal matrix, Ibiki was practically growling. "We have been attempting to break these robots for days, but nothing worked. Every time that we inquired about ROOT activities or that bastard Danzou, the subject would freeze up and refuse to speak further. However, one of the more alert interrogators noticed the odd facial twitching and pried his subject's mouth open. That's when we discovered the seal. Is there anything that you can do Jiraiya-sama?"

Shaking his head in frustration, the Toad Sage sighed. "This is a fairly crude design, but effective for what its purpose is. I'm guessing that any time you pressure a ROOT ninja for information, they will be forced into silence by losing control of their vocal cords to temporary paralysis. Coupled with the resistance training, acquiring information by force becomes practically impossible. We might try a Yamanaka, but I would like to study the matrix first before doing anything drastic. Danzou was a paranoid jackass, so who knows what sort of surprises are stuck in that thing."

Gesturing to his subordinate, Ibiki had the ROOT ninja removed to his cell. "What's the call Jiraiya-sama? Until that seal is broken further interrogation of the ROOT detainees is useless. We've already checked, and every single ninja has it. That old bastard really screwed us with this. We don't even know if all the ROOT ninja are accounted for yet." Rubbing his eyes, Jiraiya nodded in resignation. "Well, I guess there's no help for it. Remove one of the tongues from the corpses we found and preserve it for study. I'll start work on breaking the matrix as soon as I make more headway with the destruction of the Caged Bird Seal."

Frowning, the Toad Sage began to head back to the Hokage's Office. With everything that had happened lately, progress on dealing with the Hyuga seal issue had taken a back burner to internal security. But with this additional control seal coming out of the wood work, it was his obligation to push the project forward. With some focused work he might even have a prototype ready for Neji in a few weeks. Of course, there was no way to test it without pissing off Hiashi, but they would do as much as possible.

Honestly, why had he ever wanted this job? Between the long hours, massive piles of paperwork and dirty politics, it was all he could do to sleep. Now he had to decode two fairly advanced seals in order to bring peace and stability to a bunch of people he was still pissed at. But the most tragic victim of his position could not be borne. What would happen when his fan base discovered the new novel was going to be postponed for another six months due to a lack of time to research? Millions of poor souls would be deprived of his genius, bringing sorrow to the land. Such an action was just inhumane!

-----

The Royal Court of the Land of Birds was confused. Nearly an hour ago, every member of the hierarchy had been summoned to appear at the castle for an important announcement by their Daimyo. However upon arriving, the various chancellors and advisors were directed to the front lawn of the residence. There was no place to rest, and no one to greet them, making the entire group rather nervous. What reason could Sagi have for denying them access to the main palace?

Suddenly, Sagi appeared in full regalia. However, instead of the normally elegant robes of state the officials were used to seeing, the Daimyo was clothed in a fine black kimono with gold obi. His face seemed worn, but the expression was pure royalty. "Honored councilors, I thank you for your presence. I wish that my summons was of a positive nature, but alas, that is not meant to be. You see, I have called the royal court to make a horrible announcement. My sister, Princess Toki, passed away this morning."

Shocked muttering broke out among the group. The death of the previous Daimyo had been seen as unfortunate, but nothing particularly noteworthy otherwise. However, the death of the young princess could almost be taken as an omen. For all they knew, the royal family had offended the spirits and fallen from favor. Perhaps Sagi's promotion was premature after all.

Ignoring the mutterings, Sagi tried to keep his face impassive, although the strain was obvious. "Fortunately, a pair of healers acquired by Chishima arrived soon after her passing. They identified the malady, and believe that it has been contained. However, to insure the safety of the country, I will be going into seclusion for a time until we can insure the disease will not spread. I will remain in contact through messages that have been carefully disinfected. I ask that you return here and present any business for review. In addition, until they fully map out the nature of the ailment, my sister's remains will not be interred at the family shrine."

Bowing his head towards the court, Sagi suddenly seemed less the respectful Daimyo and more a humbled friend. "I know that this will be a difficult time, but I trust you all with my life. All I ask is that we insure the prosperity of our Country, and that you bear with me. I promise you all that this is strictly temporary and that as soon as the healers are assured with our safety, I shall rejoin the court full time. Now, unless you wish to offer your prayers for my sister, I must ask you to withdraw. There should be no issue with airborne contaminants, but better safe than sorry."

The officials bowed their acceptance, and prepared to disperse. However, a large number of courtiers made a point to offer incense to the departed soul of their princess. Not only was it the political thing to do, but many of the court had liked the young woman. Princess Toki was kind, gentle, and refined; earning her many admirers within the court. Omens and political ripples aside, the loss of such a lovely woman would be cruelly felt. Oddly enough, the last courtiers to offer incense were Chief Advisor Mousou and Chief Strategist Koumei. Neither looked thrilled about the situation at all.

-----

Leaning back, Naruto grumbled under his breath. If it wasn't for the blonde's heroic morals, he would have been yelling at the top of his lungs. First they get there too late to save the Daimyo, and then they get stuck under the palace for over a month! Baa-chan just couldn't leave a patient like Sagi high and dry, so now the whole group is stuck in the Land of Bird's to help with an investigation into who was trying to take over the country. While noble, it was going to set him so far behind!

It wasn't that Naruto didn't sympathize with Toki and Chishima. Normally, he was all about saving the day and protecting the helpless. However, that was before he was informed that Baa-chan couldn't train him in any ninjutsu while they were hiding out! She had set up a basic barrier, but between his power level, the threat of enemy ninja, and the lack of space, practicing anything but some taijutsu was out of the question. Instead of sparring and spitting out fireballs, he was going to be stuck studying and playing board games for weeks! It just wasn't fair! When was he going to learn something powerful enough to feel useful in a fight again?

Now the whole group was stuck in the hidden passageways underneath the palace until they figured out who was trying to kill the royal family. From the way Baa-chan was describing things she, Hinata and Shizune would be working on the investigation. Chishima would be staying here to insure an unbiased examination of Mousou and to keep Toki and Sagi company. On the other hand, Naruto was going to be staying put in the passages reading and learning theories until his eyes bled. For a ninja of action, this whole situation was nothing but trouble. As far as he was concerned, there just wasn't a single good thing about staying in the Land of Birds.

Suddenly, the wall swung open, allowing the robed figure of the Daimyo to appear. "Well, I think that will take care of any difficulty from the court for a while. Hold on for a minute Naruto and I'll join you." Heading into a room to the side, 'Sagi' quickly changed, before reemerging as Toki with a new hair cut. "Ah that's better."

Sitting in front of the sulking Jinchuuriki, Toki smiled. "You know, in all the confusion, I don't believe that I have had a chance to show my gratitude to you yet, Naruto-kun. If you hadn't interfered, I might have stopped Tsunade from healing my brother. Thank you for your quick thinking." Turning red from the attractive woman's compliment, Naruto felt his resentment dwindle rapidly. "Ah, it was no problem Toki-hime. I know you were just confused, and it all worked out in the end." Sighing, the princess shook her head. "Still, I feel a bit bad. Thanks to our troubles, your training has to be put on hold. I know that you have no obligation to help us, and just want you to know that I appreciate your sacrifice. Is there anything that I can do to make it up to you?"

Blushing at the pictures that her comment summoned, Naruto gulped. "Well, there is one thing that might be helpful." Raising an eyebrow, Toki gestured carelessly. "While our current circumstances are somewhat cramped, I will do my best to accommodate your requests. What do you need?" Scratching his head, he gave the brunet a sheepish grin. "You wouldn't know how to play Go, do you? I might as well get some strategy training in, and I am really getting sick of Chinese checkers."

-----

Looking over the scroll before him, Jiraiya bit his lip. When he actually listed all of the things that needed to be done as soon as possible, it got to be a little intimidating. While he might be willing to put in the work, stuff like this didn't get you praise or recognition. What babe would be impressed with the cracking of a four pronged control seal? If this was the sort of crap Naruto wanted the Hokage position for, maybe he should have double checked for more limiter seals!

First, he had to break the Hyuga seal. The clan was currently in decline within the village, and there would never be a better time to free the Hyuga Branch House. Not only would the split of the clan weaken their position, it would leave the Hyuga elders without protection. Honestly, in his opinion the world would be a much nicer place without those bigots. But more importantly, their deaths could pave the way for proper reforms.

Next, he needed to fix this problem with the ROOT members. Danzou was no seal master, but one of subordinates was fairly skilled to come up with their design. The tricky part was the numerous dead man switches that seemed to be hard wired into the seals structure. Danzou's documents gave generalities, but if Konoha was ever going to fully discover that old bastard's crimes, they needed the ROOT ninja to talk. Perhaps after some deprogramming, they could try out careers as proper ninja of the leaf.

If that wasn't dramatic enough, the subjects of the Uchiha Breeding Project were getting antsy. While the Toad Sage would have preferred that more kunoichi volunteers, enough civilian families were interested to warrant starting. However, with Orochimaru desperate to acquire Uchiha genetic samples, he would have to map out a series of security measures to insure the safety of the offspring. In all honesty, he might just have to set up some decoy pregnancies to insure the safety of the rebuilt clan.

At least he still could have his fun with the Advisor's Council. Between painting fences, digging for potatoes, babysitting, and hunting for Tora, Homura and Koharu were both getting worn to the bone. If they kept this up, he would have to evaluate their ability within the week. However, both were getting so exhausted that the thought of sneaking a message to the Daimyo was probably nowhere in their minds. It might only be a temporary tactic, but he had to admit the evaluation was becoming a lot of fun!

The perverted sage's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden poof of smoke. Blinking, he beheld the tall form of Kakashi, Jonin of Konoha. Between his disheveled hair to his perverted reading material, Kakashi was the picture of relaxation and indifference. Also, his sensing skills were as sharp as ever. If the Copycat Ninja every tried to read Icha Icha in front of Tsunade, she probably would remove his Sharingan through his asshole.

Idly turning a page, the silver haired ninja commented lazily. "You know Jiraiya, if Tsunade catches you in her chair, she might just kill you this time." Smirking, the Toad Sage shook his head. No matter how much of a genius this kid was, he could never seem to learn when to shut up. "Yeah Kakashi, you might want to sit down for a bit. You are a lot later than normal, and I think you need to get caught up." Quirking an eyebrow, the Copycat sat for his debriefing. An experience that would emotionally scar him more than the Third Great Ninja War and Team Seven combined.

-----

Authors Notes Yay! Another chapter down, so many more to go :)

**twitch** Now I had a lot of great reviews last time, and I tried to respond to my favorites, but if I missed you I apologize. There was one little subject that came up that I debated saving for later. Then I had this image of pitch forks and torches and decided that would be a very bad idea. Therefore, I think that I will be nice and explain a very simple fact.

Ino-chan is FINE!

I should write up a scene to cover this, but couldn t find a good place to slip it in. So I m just going to give a fairly brief summary of what happened. That shadowy figure that swooped down on Ino last time? That was Anko-chan, irritated that a mere Genin had taken over her favorite seat in the restaurant. The same Anko-chan, who is still somewhat pissed off about Naruto's abuse, hears this whiny little blonde bitching about all of these evil shop keepers. Feeling twitchy, Anko debriefs the little Yamanaka and goes bigot hunting. Why else would someone investigate the poor guy's abuse? No one has cared to before. So Ino-chan returns to her assignment, thankful that at least one adult doesn t have their head stuck up their ass. As they say, that deals with that.

I ve received some questions about the summoning scroll thing. A lot of you think that its overkill and I can understand that. However, this subject isn t my idea. If you go check out the original challenge requirements on Perfect Lionheart s bio page, you ll see I m just using his guidelines. At least I m not having everybody share their scrolls. That would just be overkill here -_-;;

As to the other requirements, I am trying to avoid the bloodline from _Chunin Exam Day_. What I have happening to Hinata-chan is a little more complicated. And yes, it will come back to bite Tsunade, but not for a few months yet.

Oh and for those who are curious about the treasure hunting part of the challenge? Let s just say that the treasures they re getting are a little more valuable than jewels or gold and leave it at that, k?

Now for the next chapter

In this corner, we have the master of a thousand jutsu and porn aficionado Kakashi!

And in this corner, we have the pink-haired bipolar kunoichi with the kick ass forehead, Sakura!

Let's get ready to rumble!!!


	15. Swirling Blossoms

No I don't own Naruto. No one would ever let me play with that many weapons.

Chapter Fourteen: Swirling Blossoms

Keeping her doujutsu activated, Hinata silently crept towards the tomb of the former Daimyo Oowashi. With the number of forces protecting the palace during the 'infection' she had to be very careful not to be seen. If even one soldier recognized her features, Bird Country might try to cause problems with Konoha. That was not the sort of situation that anybody needed right now, so she had to insure her mission went off without a hitch. Otherwise, they might have to leave Chishima, Toki and Sagi to this den of vipers.

Luckily, one of the previous Daimyo had been fairly paranoid about assassination. Underneath the palace were a large number of tunnels, carefully positioned to allow escape up to one hundred meters outside the residence's walls. Using these pathways, Hinata had been able to sneak out to check the deceased Daimyo's body with little fanfare. When questioned about allowing them so much access, Toki had shrugged helplessly. "What is the point of maintaining the secret if it gets my family killed? I can simply have them filled in of changed when this is all over. It's nothing personal, but I have to keep some secrets secret, or you might try to take over next."

Positioning herself in a grove of trees fifty meters from the structure, the shy Hyuga sighed in relief. Compared to watching a hyperactive Naruto, looking over the tomb was a simple process. Besides, why would any faction waste the time or resources to guard a corpse? As far as everyone was concerned, Daimyo Oowashi's death was a simple tragedy. Examining the body would only stir up chaos with rumors and speculation.

Focusing her sight on the interior of the tomb, Hinata frowned. The body was fairly well preserved, but around the chest area was a discolored section focused within the heart. Although significantly more advanced, this was the same sort of injury that Sagi had possessed before Tsunade-sensei had healed him. As unfortunate as it was, Oowashi had definitely been murdered by the same assailant as the one who targeted his son. That most likely meant enemy ninja, and another plot to take over the country. Really now, did all the missing ninja subscribe to the same magazines or something? It was almost like they were recycling each other's material!

Taking one more look at the surroundings, Hinata blinked in confusion. While the pathways that Toki had indicated appeared as clear as day before her sight, a number of alternate rooms and hidden passages also seemed to be present. Some simply appeared to be abandoned, but several had people housed within them. Judging from their chakra networks, a lot of these forces were ninjas. Although no significant signatures were apparent, these sorts of numbers could easily become a problem.

Withdrawing from her position, Hinata thought rapidly. Someone was clearly amassing ninja within the country. Now while this could all be a misunderstanding, she would bet her first kiss with Naruto that whoever controlled the ninja had also been behind the poisoning attempt. Hinata knew she had to tell Tsunade-sensei right away. There was no way they could plan a defense without more information.

-----

Leaning back, Jiraiya smirked at the younger ninja. "Really Kakashi, I thought you would be happy for me. Your favorite author is moving up in the world. Due to Tsunade's official decree, I have been named as regent and Rokudaime after six months of service." Noting the stiffening in Kakashi's shoulders the Toad Sage didn't even bother to suppress his smile. The little prick had been a jerk under Minato, and now was suffering a heart attack before fifty. Ah, Karma was such a beautiful thing.

Putting his book away, Kakashi sat down heavily without invitation. "Well we knew that Tsunade was a little stressed out, but we really should have had someone other than Shizune do her yearly physical. When it comes to the little things, she tends to be a bit negligent." Smile falling from his face, Jiraiya felt his eyebrow twitch. If it wasn't so much fun setting the Advisor's Council on Tora, Kakashi would have gotten a new lifelong assignment for that little stunt!

"Well, not that you would be interested, but Tsunade needed a lot of time to correct the damage done to Naruto. Given the nature of his injuries, she determined that treatment within the village would be counterproductive, so she is taking a sabbatical to deal with the problem." Rubbing his temples, the Toad Sage sighed. He had so wanted to take the little brat on as his own apprentice, and this complication ruined that. Maybe Tsunade-chan would be willing to share when she got back?

Blinking, Kakashi eyed Jiraiya oddly. "I don't know exactly what you have heard Jiraiya, but I was just as upset when I heard that Sasuke had attacked Naruto with the Chidori. Given that they would be kept separate during Naruto's recovery and Sasuke's punishment, you don't possibly think that I would attack him, do you?" Thinking over how the last statement might have sounded, Jiraiya winced. Good ninja tended to became unusually paranoid, and despite his flaws Kakashi was a good ninja.

Shaking his head in resignation, Jiraiya began to explain the injuries, the seals, and the reactions of the population. Naruto's life was complicated enough without having to deal with all that shit while healing. "So you see Kakashi, she was simply thinking of the boy's welfare. Naruto was the one who convinced her to come back to Konoha, and this sort of abuse really pissed her off. So, removing him from the village to prevent any accidents was simply seen as the best available option. Making him an apprentice was just another way to offer more protection and a bit of icing on the cake."

Looking somewhat shaken, Kakashi palmed his face in apparent frustration. "What were those fools thinking? Sensei's seal was among the most complex and brilliant in history. Doing anything that could potentially damage it could have been suicide! We were lucky that he was such a genius or the village could have been flattened!" Sighing, the silver haired ninja smiled wearily. "At least it was Naruto, so everything should be alright."

Shocked, Jiraiya slammed his hand into the desk. "Kakashi! I can't believe you! This is your student here, and you are brushing off some very serious injuries! I thought that with all your talk of teamwork and loyalty you'd care more that Naruto was nearly crippled over this!" Meeting the Toad Sage's glare with apparent calm, Kakashi smirked. "Now, now Jiraiya calm down. I have seen just what Naruto is capable of which is why I am not worried in the slightest. Sure this is bad news, but nothing keeps that kid down for long. Compound that with the fact that the best medical ninja in the world are personally attending to his needs, and I bet he'll be fully recovered in two or three months."

Growling at his apparent arrogance, Jiraiya fumed. "That might normally be the case, but I don't know if you properly appreciate just what was done to the kid! Kakashi, every single bit of his muscle memory has to be rewritten from scratch! His chakra control is probably at the level of a baby while his reserves match those of any three kages! Whole muscle groups will have to be broken down past the level of his natural regeneration and reshaped into proper alignment! Damn it man, you were his Sensei! If anyone should know the trouble he is going to be dealing with, it should be you!"

Blinking at the baldly listed amount of damage, Kakashi leaned forward. "You are telling me that Naruto was that limited during our training?" Seeing the angry nod, the Copycat closed his eyes in apparent resignation. "I knew that Naruto was having trouble, but simply thought that some of his instructors had sabotaged his basics in the Academy. I had hoped that constant experience would help fill in the gaps a bit, before teaching him anything that could potentially damage himself or his teammates. Perhaps I should have given him more than I did, but I didn't want to throw off the team dynamic." Snorting, Jiraiya looked at the ceiling in irritation. "You mean, show him anything that would have pissed the Uchiha off, don't you?" Predictably, Kakashi didn't appear to have a response to that one.

-----

Stretching out after his training, Naruto admitted he was bored. All that Tsunade-baa-chan would let him do right now was taijutsu forms and sparring. However, with the Slug Sannin and Shizune-nee-chan working on the prince and Hinata off on recon, practicing forms for the fiftieth time got old. Unfortunately, that limited who he could hang out with. Chishima was off reading at the moment, pouting that they still suspected Mousou of treason. That left Toki-hime, who was reviewing the latest batch of issues to be presented to the court. Judging from the damage to the walls, it was less than fun.

"Hi Toki-hime! What are you up to?" Gulping, Naruto stepped back from the glare leveled at him. He had not gotten such a crappy reception since dumping laxatives in the Jonin lounge's coffee pot. "Hey, what did I do? I've been training for the last few hours and thought I would see what you were up to. That's no reason to get so mad at me!"

Sighing, Toki rubbed her temples in apparent frustration. "Sorry Naruto, it's nothing personal. I've just been trying to deliberate these petitions for a while now. I had no idea that Sagi had to deal with such troublesome issues all day. Thank the heavens that he's taking this job back once Tsunade is done healing him." Blinking, Naruto looked over her shoulder only to get a headache from the tiny print. "What the hell is this all about? I can't make heads or tails of it."

Smiling, Toki looked over the archaic script with practiced ease. "Well, in this petition two of the nobles are arguing about a plot of land. One of the nobles offered to purchase the land from the other with a payment that included some valuable jewelry. However, after finalizing the sale, the noble had the jewelry appraised and discovered a few of the pieces were fakes. They want royal intervention to determine who was in the wrong, and what reparations should be made."

Blinking, Naruto grinned, "Ah, that's easy! The guy who bought the land with fake gems should give the land back and publicly apologize!" Shaking her head, Toki rebutted, "Unfortunately, he is claiming that he was unaware that the pieces were fakes. Although there is evidence that he is lying, the man is too well connected to simply call him on it." Scratching his head, Naruto thought about it. "Well, what if he simply pays the guy the proper value of the land he should have if the gems were real? That way, he saves face and everybody gets what they bargained for."

Rolling her eyes, Toki sighed, "That might work, if the noble wasn't claiming that the switch from real to fakes occurred after the deal was finalized. Not only is he calling the receiving noble a liar, but any direct refuting of his statement could spark a minor civil war between the two groups." Frowning, Naruto felt a headache coming on. This was a lot harder than he thought. "Ok, well they think you're the Daimyo right? Why don't you just retake the land, and distribute it between the two based upon the value of the money versus the gems?" Leaning back, Toki deeply sighed, inadvertently distracting the blonde. "If the royal family was seen as taking such a strong arm approach to politics, it could cause de-stability within the court. Our position has already been compromised by father's death. Taking too many liberties could cost us valuable support in an already difficult time."

The debate went on almost forever, with Naruto making suggestion after suggestion that were all rejected. Finally, after a heated twenty minute debate, they agreed that the official response would be that the deal was finalized and nothing could be done. However, the cheating noble would then be forced to repair a damaged perimeter wall at his own expense. It would improve his publicity, but drain any profit he acquired from the swindle. Thus, everyone would get what they wanted more or less.

Falling backwards, Naruto felt like he had run a marathon. "Man, Toki-hime that was a tough one! Do you really have to do this every day?" Smiling at his help, as crude as it had been, Toki stretched her sore muscles. "Well, not all decisions are quite that thorny. However, as leader of the country for the moment, it is my responsibility to insure that my decisions protect the people. Every choice could be the difference between peace and discord, or simply an inconvenience. However, that is what my father always thought and that is what both myself and Sagi were taught growing up. We have to work for the good of the whole after all." Frowning, Naruto wondered what would happen when he became Hokage. Would he have to make compromises like that to insure the peace of the village? Or could he find a better way.

-----

Heading down the street, Kurenai sighed at the sight of her new Team Eight. Each walked towards the Hokage's Tower in silence, apparently lost in their thoughts. There was no hostility, but she sensed no affability either. Shino was staring at an insect, Sakura was keeping her head down, and Kiba was scratching Akamaru's ears. However, no one would look a teammate in the eye.

This would be the fourth D-ranked mission that they would take since Kiba rejoined the team. Surprisingly, the number of lower ranked missions had dropped significantly, so they had resolved to take them on alternating days when not training. Each had been a success on paper, but none had accomplished her objective. The team still would not work together in a cohesive unit. Every time that they set out to accomplish their mission, Shino would direct his teammates to finish their goals with a minimum of interest. Then the Genin would separate into different directions, not saying a word to one another. Despite the efficiency of the strategy, none of the kids seemed interested in any bonding during the mission. However, once the day's activities ended, Shino and Kiba would leave together, ignoring Sakura. Although the pink haired kunoichi had proved her strength, the others didn't seem interested in friendship.

No matter what the Genjutsu Mistress tried, she couldn't manage to improve the groups dynamic. The boys would make a focused effort to ignore their fellow female Genin member. Shino did it out of loyalty to Kiba, Kiba did it out of residual anger and Sakura complied to avoid confrontation. Organized trips were circumvented with family plans, team building exercises were done without comment, and confrontations both as a group and individually accomplished nothing. The sad fact was, while her team members trusted Sakura's potential, they refused to fully trust her. If it continued for much longer, Kurenai would pull her hair out!

The worst thing to see was the way that Sakura was withdrawing into herself. She had always seemed a fairly happy girl whenever Kurenai had seen her around town. However ever since Team Eight had begun to really work together, Sakura had stopped opening up around them. It was subtle, but Sakura seemed unnerved by the animosity, and unable to deal with it. While she might miss Hinata, the Genjutsu Mistress had no desire to quash Sakura's potential out of spite. Unfortunately, the same apparently could not be said about her team. This separation had to be stopped if anything constructive was going to be accomplished.

Evaluating the group, she came to a decision. "Since we have successfully taken four D-rank missions, I think that this group could use a bit of a challenge. If everyone performs adequately on the upcoming assignment, I will consider applying for a C-rank mission next week. Does anyone have issue with this idea?" Judging from the feral smile on Kiba's face, she might as well have done a strip tease for the boy. "Alright, we finally get a good mission! We are going to kick so much ass that Jiriaya-sama won't know what to do with us! Right guys?" Shino sighed in apparent agreement, and Sakura nodded nervously.

"Very well then, let's hurry up. You know how competitive it's been lately to pick up a D-rank, so we had better pick up the pace to get a good one." Increasing their speed, Team Eight began to power walk down the street. However, if she had known what was waiting for them at the end of that road, Kurenai might have delayed a bit. While helpful in the long term, the following events would prove traumatic in a way that no teacher enjoys. After all, broken trust is one of the hardest lessons to learn if the easiest to teach.

-----

Frowning, Shizune pulled her cloak closer around her face. The groups of ninja that Hinata had described were not particularly well hidden. However with the local forces being what they were, it was easy to see how they could be overlooked. Most of the local military were consrcipts with basic training, or militia a step above that. Any beginning ninja worth their salt could avoid an army with this level of skill in their sleep.

Upon further analysis, however, it was clear that the two groups knew of one another. Their interaction was fleeting, but when it occurred, the tension could be cut with a knife. While the ninja were not what she would consider skilled, they were still several levels above the power of the normal soldiers. However, Shizune was not considered a high level ninja of Konoha for nothing. Suppressing her chakra, she managed to slip into each camp one after another. Luckily, like all military groups, the militia and the ninja had grunts who felt chatty when bored. Listening into their conversations was a breeze.

Apparently, the various normal soldier groups were firmly behind the tactician Koumei. Many of the officers within the military branches had been trained by him at one point or another. While the royal family had their loyalty, Koumei had their respect. So with the power of the Daimyo waning, some were considering possible replacements. Despite some claims of modest disinterest, the tactician was still considered one of the top contenders for the spot. Therefore several of the militia members were discussing the situation, while making plans to support his theoretical bid for power.

On the other hand, while more secretive, the ninja forces were nearly as easy to read. On the surface, they were led by several higher level ninja of approximate Chunin rank. However, their main loyalty was apparently to Mousou. No major details of their relationship to the kindly advisor that Chishima described were released, but reading between the lines was simple enough. The bottom line was all the ninja within Bird Country would listen to Mousou first and the throne second. So even if Koumei gained the position, it was not going to be an easy transition of power.

Both groups realized they were on opposite sides of the power struggle, hence the tension that she sensed earlier. However that was not even the most troubling fact of the situation. The ninja forces were not from an established village, but members of the 'wandering ninja' faction. Every ninja village was aware of this group, and several had sizable bounties on their heads. Being unaffiliated wanderers, these ninja learned every technique through theft and deception. While their abilities were considered significantly lower quality than average, the wandering ninja made up for this with lies, deceptions and creativity. It spoke poorly of Mousou to have contracted such a self-serving clan.

Noting a meeting between the advisor and a blue haired squad leader of some sort, Shizune frowned. Although Mousou appeared to be a simple old man, there was something wrong with his shape. Every movement was slightly out of alignment with her perception of his body. But that disassociation only happened when someone was transformed into a different body type. If that was the case, then Mousou could be a ninja himself! Tsunade-sama needed to know this at once!

-----

Shaking his head in resignation, Kakashi eyed the Toad Sage warily. "Alright then Jiraiya since you brought it up, what is the final punishment of Sasuke anyways. I had to leave before Tsunade came to a decision." Narrowing his eyes, Jiraiya shook his head. "Well, the short version is the kid will never be a ninja again. His chakra has been sealed and he will be held in an ANBU prison without human contact for the rest of his life. In addition, genetic samples will be taken to reestablish the Uchiha clan through artificial insemination." With those words, the Copycat felt his world collapse underneath him.

"But that's insane! Sasuke had to be at least partially influenced by the Cursed Seal. While I do believe that he should be punished, stripping him of his legacy and using him like a breeding stud is going too far!" Meeting his anger calmly, Jiraiya returned, "His primary duty to Konoha was the reestablishment of the Uchiha clan. When Sasuke tried to flee to a known enemy of the village with the Sharingan, he lost the right to dictate terms. For years that kid has been getting what he wants because of his potential, not only as a ninja but as a clan head. Even after spitting on that obligation, he is still expected to do his duty. I don't care if he's the Shodaime reborn! Sasuke is a traitor, and now he has to pay the penalty."

Glowering at the bald hatred being shown to his student, Kakashi muttered, "How is this different from something Orochimaru would do? Here we are, stealing the Uchiha bloodline and legacy for our own selfish desires. Would the Sandaime really have accepted such a decision?" Snorting, Jiraiya shook his head. "The difference is that we are only accepting volunteers for the mothers of the new Uchiha clan. The legacy and power of the Uchiha is simply a portion of the village, not something above the rest of us. Sasuke was the guardian of the Uchiha legacy and failed in his duty. Now, it is our responsibility to take over where he left off."

Holding his head in pain, Kakashi knew that on some level Jiraiya was correct. Sasuke was supposed to work towards the betterment of the village while rebuilding his clan. One of the major reasons he seemed to concentrate on Sasuke during training was to build up his ties to the village and insure his loyalty. However, while the kids' actions were horrible he couldn't simply stand by and do nothing. Never again would he abandon a comrade to fate. It might take time but somehow, Kakashi knew that he could save his student. This would be his promise of a lifetime.

Blinking, Jiraiya snapped his fingers. "Oh, I almost forgot. Since we are discussing your team, I have the information on Sakura's placement as well. Just let me get them for you." Frowning, Kakashi almost slapped his head in annoyance. So that's what he had been forgetting lately! It had been driving him nuts since the border. As her sensei, he should check in on the cute little kunoichi shouldn't he? "Oh, I'm sure there's no problem there. Sakura probably landed on her feet somewhere, so I'm not too worried about her." That would prove to be one of the Copycat's largest mistakes in years. Because none of the information was particularly classified, Jiraiya hadn't bothered to initiate the privacy seals hidden throughout the room. Not to mention, since the subject was such a sensitive one, both ninja were a little slack on their situational awareness.

Hearing the door slam open, both Kakashi and Jiraiya turned in surprise. Standing in the entrance was one Haruno Sakura, in full righteous feminine anger mode. Kakashi idly noted a startled Team Eight behind his student, but that really didn't register. The sight of a crying, angry kunoichi was a little too distracting all things considered. Gulping, suddenly Kakashi had a much greater respect for his hyperactive student. Facing that on a regular basis and coming back for more must have taken balls of freaking diamond.

-----

Enjoying a cup of sake after dinner, Tsunade was surprised by the sudden appearance of Naruto. "Hey, Baa-chan? Can we talk for a bit?" Smiling, the medic patted the seat next to her in invitation. "Go ahead Naruto. What can I do for you?" Looking uncommonly nervous, the young Chunin scratched the back of his head. "Well Baa-chan, Toki-hime and I talked after my Taijutsu practice this afternoon. She was dealing with all of this court intrigue stuff, and let me help her a bit. But it was really hard, and after two hours I thought my head was going to explode. Being the Hokage isn't going to be that bad, is it? I mean, I'll just have to kick the crap out of our enemies and protect everybody, right?"

Snorting, Tsunade downed the shot of sake in one gulp. "Sorry to break it to you Naruto, but Hokage involves a lot of politics and not so much straight fighting. By the time you get the hat, a Hokage spends most of their time dealing with paperwork and maintaining the balance of power within the village. It's one of the reasons that Sarutobi-sensei was able to keep the job for so long." Eyes wide in surprise, Naruto looked like someone had stolen his ramen. "But they never tell us about that stuff in the Academy! All they say is that the Hokage is the strongest and best of the village, and we have to respect them! When does paperwork come into it?"

Patting him on the head, Tsunade's smile turned wistful. "Oh, they love to spread stories of valor and bravery in that Academy. It keeps the students interested, and gives them something to shoot for. No one wants to hear about the Hokage who sacrifices a valuable ninja to maintain peace. Or the hours of paperwork they have to fill out to maintain the village's security and infrastructure. Oh, and let's not forget the clans who all fight for additional power and prestige. The only reason the Hokage has to be so strong is to keep his or her own forces in line. Not to fight the battles, but be honored enough to insure others will fight them. A ninja leader has the hardest job after all. They have to stay behind while others die to insure the success of the mission."

Pouting, Naruto refused to be mollified. "Then how did you learn about this stuff? If it's not in the Academy, and Kakashi-sensei never taught it to us. When do you study to be a leader?" Frowning at the reminder of the lazy Jonin, Tsunade sighed. "It's not something that you learn overnight, Naruto. The first step is becoming the squad leader of your Genin team. While no one stands out as the definitive leader within Team Seven, most of the other Genin teams have a member who demonstrates some level of control over their teammates. For example, in Team Ten Shikamaru took control, while Neji took control in Team Gai. That provides a command structure for the group that allows for greater flexibility in taking and managing missions."

Leaning back, Tsunade paused while taking another drink. "Then there are Chunin level ninja. They are often required to demonstrate a level of leadership over larger groups of Genin, or other Chunin. This is determined not only through tests and trials, but experience and natural ability. As time goes on, if you are good enough, a ninja works together with other ninja as both subordinate and superior to the point that political maneuvering becomes a necessary skill just to survive. You have to be aware of so many elements within a team dynamic, that raw experience prepares you more than any formal lesson ever could. Since I was an elite Jonin under Sarutobi-sensei, I'm used to ordering anyone from a group of Genin to squads of ANBU. It might be a little simplistic, but that's all it really takes in the end."

Closing his eyes, Naruto sighed. "Well that's all fine and dandy for you Baa-chan, but what are Hinata and I supposed to do? We're both Chunin, but neither of us really have any chance at that kind of experience do we? I mean, we'll be working directly under you and Shizune-nee-chan for a while, so when can we start to lead groups like that? You don't have any ideas do you?" Smiling at his earnest concern, Tsunade had an evil thought. "If you want some extra experience in politics, why don't you see about helping Toki-dono some more? It might be boring, but this would be an excellent chance to understand how paperwork works in the real world. If you're still bored after that, I'll make a point of quizzing both you and Hinata on some simulated situations to get you ready to deal with that sort of thing. What do you think?"

Seeing his resolution, it was all Tsunade could do to hold back an evil cackle. Not only was Naruto going to get some valuable training in running a country, but he could keep an eye on Toki for her. While it was clear that the young princess was willing to work with them, she wasn't exactly gracious about it. Having someone keep a close eye on her would do wonders for the Hokage's state of mind, and keep Naruto distracted from the lack of ninjutsu practice. Reaching into her pack, the Slug Princess found the scroll she needed. "Now that we've decided what to do, I want you hit the books again. Start examining the most common forms of poison s within the Fire Country, and expect a quiz within the next two days. Do you understand?" Sighing, Naruto took the reading material before retreating.

-----

Sakura didn't have a single thought in her head upon entering the office. All she had heard within the last thirty seconds had been her old sensei's voice and a casual dismissal. Most ninja would not be moved to tears by such limited stimuli, but those ninja were not kunoichi. The kunoichi used emotions, played games with perceptions and used others more so than any chess master. But that sort of manipulation was not what drove her anger, or focused it upon the constantly tardy Jonin. No, his casual dismissal, constant hypocrisy and the belittlement of her peers for over a month were more than enough to accomplish that.

"So that's it, Kakashi-sensei? You've decided that I will get by and don't need your help either? What part of a ninja who abandons their comrades is trash do you actually believe?" Shaking his head, Kakashi spoke softly in response, "Sakura, please calm down. I wasn't worried because I knew that if Tsunade was good enough to make arrangements for Naruto, she would make a point of taking care of you as well. Heck, she'd do it for no other reason than to placate the little knucklehead. I wasn't trying to abandon you at all, and in my defense checking up on the teammates who had major injuries before I left is not meant as a slight against you."

Taking a deep breath, Sakura surprisingly refused to back down. "Right, so someone else has to do your job for you huh? I don't mind that you're worried about the others. What I'm worried about is your need to get us all killed! Every sensei that I have described your training methods to looks at me like I'm insane! You gave us one control exercise, some genjutsu recognition, and two lost hours a day! Then you send us into the Chunin exam with that sort of experience? We only survived because of dumb luck!"

Scratching his head, Kakashi appeared to smile under his mask. "Well Sakura, I was trying to develop your teamwork. Each of you had such different requirements in terms of ability, that it was simpler to make you work together than try to develop your specialties. Besides, I had several responsibilities outside the team that prevented me from always being on time, so I thought that I would give you a chance to further your bonds through socialization." Blinking at his audacity, Sakura growled, "You left us on our own for HOURS, without any sort of training schedule just to give us a chance to socialize? That's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard! You might as well have aimed a kunai to our backs! We were taking missions and needed all the training that we could get!"

Shaking his head, Kakashi gave her a mournful look. "I am not sure where all this hostility is coming from Sakura, but I never wanted you to die! I cared about all of my students, and wanted to insure you all grew into great and powerful ninjas." Cracking her knuckles, Sakura only intensified her glare, "Then why the hell did you teach Sasuke the Chidori when Naruto and I only got the tree walking exercise? Every single ninja in my generation is treating me like a lazy failure because I don't know more than the Academy ninjutsu and Taijutsu. You're Sharingan Kakashi with over a thousand moves! Don't you think that maybe there was a technique or two in that grab bag for your other students?"

Narrowing his eyes, Kakashi straightened his back. "If you must know Sakura, I withheld training because I wasn't sure you would use it properly. You didn't demonstrate to me the level of competence or drive needed to be a ninja, and until that changed, I saw no reason to teach you something that you could end up using improperly. Now stand down already, you're making a scene." Feeling the stares of the other ninja, Sakura felt cold. She was being written off again by the one teacher who should have supported her. The pink haired kunoichi hadn't wanted to believe it, but now things were clear. Hatake Kakashi did not care about her, and never did.

Finding her composure, Sakura turned before approaching a surprised Kurenai-sensei. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I do not believe that I will be able to put forth the best of my ability today. I will report for duty tomorrow at our normal training ground, ok?" Not waiting for acknowledgement, she turned one last glare at the silver haired cyclops. "Since I am no longer needed to stoke Sasuke's ego, I am fairly sure we won't be dealing with each other again Jonin Kakashi. Have a pleasant day." Ignoring the others, Sakura fled as quickly as she could.

-----

Humming to herself, Shizune prepared the examination room with practiced ease. Secondary chakra shielding was set up to preserve the sanitation of the area, while the temporary surgery table was cleared of any debris. Then, using a combination of disinfectant and a special medical herbal paste, the medic insured that no contaminants should get into their work. Although this wasn't the best she or Tsunade-sama had dealt with, the room would have to do. Given the response to their Intel, the group would have a lot of free time on their hands.

When given the information on Mousou and the military friction, both Toki and Chishima seemed shocked. The image that the old man presented the world gave no indication of formal military training, and the idea that he might be a ninja was horribly counterintuitive. However, Toki was hesitant to act only on their word. Thanking them for their efforts, the princess explained that she wanted to independently verify the information and talk with her brother before initiating any sort of attack. Although the lack of trust clearly irritated Tsunade-sama, Shizune could understand where the young ruler was coming from. They had no credentials in the Land of Birds, and Mousou was very highly placed. Anyone in such a situation would be careful before acting.

However, now the group had some more spare time while Toki verified their information. Although Naruto's chakra was too intense for any ninjutsu training, there was little to keep Hinata from improving. They had already decided on an updated version of the medical ninja dodging training that would be perfect for the Byakugan. In addition, she was finally ready to learn the basics of Tsunade's strength technique. Since they had the time and such limited space, Naruto would actually gain some background training in Genjutsu. Between that and the impromptu political debates he seemed to be getting into with the princess, the blonde should be properly distracted for the short term.

While their training methods would have to be significantly adjusted to the new pattern, Shizune thought things would work out alright. Naruto's training had reached a point where some precision and mental development could only help his skills. Not only could he throw a kick, by the time they left he should know the how's and when's of using the kick. Hinata had grown by leaps and bounds, but her control and endurance could only be improved with practice. Neither would be a powerhouse yet, but both should be solid Chunin ranked ninja by the time this ordeal was over.

That just left Tsunade and herself to occupy. While they would be training the younger apprentices, and looking after Sagi's health on the side, each medic had a surprisingly large amount of free time to themselves. Normally, Tsunade would have used this opportunity to gamble or drink, but the available cohorts to enjoy this with were limited. So instead, Shizune had suggested a project to keep busy. With the limited resources of Vegetable Country, they had been unable to make any headway so far.

Entering the sanitized room, Tsunade shot her first apprentice a serious look. "I believe that the room is as good as it's going to get. Hinata's monitoring Sagi for us while Naruto keeps Chishima and Toki busy. Now is the best time to begin work, so please remove the scroll." Nodding her acceptance, Shizune removed a storage scroll and placed it on the table. Making the requisite hand signs, Shizune remained focused during the familiar poof of smoke.

Spread before the two medics was the corpse of the leader of the Sound Five, Kimimaro. Thanks to the properties of the scroll, the enemy ninja had not aged a day since his recovery weeks ago. Taking out a metal scalpel, Tsunade smirked. "Alright, I think that now is as good a time as any to discover the nature of the Cursed Seal. Jiraiya hasn't had any luck decoding the seal matrix, so let's find out what this stupid little mark is doing to the bodies physiology." Nodding in agreement, Shizune began to scan the ninja's bloodstream, seeking to understand the enzyme that led to one of the Snake Sannin's most effective biological weapons.

-----

Sniffing the air, Kiba growled, "Ok, she's over this way Kurenai-sensei. It shouldn't take us more than five minutes to get there." Nodding, the Genjutsu mistress pinned her students with a look. "Now I know that you have had issue with Sakura since her acceptance into the team, but I will not allow such petty actions to affect us today. What you saw should have been private, but was blasted to the heavens. Right now the poor girl is probably mortified and miserable, so as a team it is our duty to help her, understood?" Feeling a bit self-conscious, the dog ninja nodded his acceptance. He might not like the girl right now, but that didn't mean he wanted her crying alone somewhere.

They found the little cherry blossom sitting by the memorial of the dead in training ground seven. His mother had taken him by there once, pointing out relatives and friends who had fallen to defend his homeland. Next to dying at home surrounded by grandchildren, the Inuzuka saw the memorial as the greatest end to honor the village. However, all Kiba's techniques brought him now were signs of pain. His ears heard the tears of his teammate, while he could smell her frustration, anger and depression. Sakura always seemed so strong and brash at times, but now it was like she was falling apart.

Lowering herself next to the kunoichi silently, Kurenai-sensei touched her shoulder. "Sakura, are you alright?" The reaction was immediate. Straightening, Sakura instinctively rubbed her eyes before plastering a nervous smile on her face. "Ah, Kurenai-sensei! I'm sorry, but I didn't think that I would be able to continue my duties today. I apologize for the inconvenience and will do better tomorrow!" Shaking her head, the Genjutsu mistress smiled softly. "Would you like to talk about it? That looked rather heated back there." Blushing, Sakura eyed her teammates. "Well, I don't know sensei. I don't want to be a bother."

Eyebrow twitching in irritation, Kiba stomped forward. "Oh stop trying to act so tough Sakura. You basically called your old sensei out in the Hokage's office, so there's no reason to get so embarrassed now!" Coloring slightly, Sakura glared him down. "Hey, I know that I'm just a stand in Kiba! But that doesn't mean that I'm going to simply spill stuff to amuse you! So back off!" Blinking at her anger, Kiba narrowed his eyes, "What makes you think that you are a stand in? You're a member of this squad, and your problems are now our problems!" Sakura looked at him, before laughing with surprising bitterness. "Oh, so now I'm a member of this squad? Now that I show you how pathetic I can be, you think it would be fun to pretend to be interested in my affairs? It's not like you haven't made your position clear on my presence here! So why do you care now?"

Reeling back from the assault, even Kiba began to feel a bit guilty. Sure, they hadn't exactly been friendly but were he and Shino really that bad? Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to his other teammate. Shino might be a little creepy, but he always knew what to say in the end. "Sakura, is it true that you only knew the basic Academy jutsu, tree climbing and genjutsu dispelling upon entering the Chunin exams?" Sniffing a bit, Sakura sighed, "Yeah pretty much. Most of our training involved doing D-ranked missions and waiting around for sensei to show up. The only reason that we even learned the tree climbing exercise was for a quick boost to our chakra control in enemy territory during a miss-ranked mission."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Kiba glared at her. "Yeah right! So you're telling me that Sasuke's little combo technique during the preliminaries and Naruto's shadow clone jutsu were picked up during Academy lessons? I must have been out the day they covered high level finishing moves!" Narrowing her eyes, Sakura sighed. "Yeah, like Kakashi sensei would teach us stuff like that! Sasuke learned the Lion's Combo from copying Lee's taijutsu before the written exam with his Sharingan. As for Naruto, he somehow figured out the Shadow Clone right before the secondary Genin test. Kakashi sensei had nothing to do with either of those moves. Heck, the only one to even get personal special training during the break was Sasuke, and that was the first time that Kakashi showed any real interest at all!"

Raising an eyebrow, Kurenai-sensei asked in clear shock, "Wait you're telling me the student who couldn't manage a simple clone technique somehow learned Shadow Clone within a couple of days? That's insane!" Nodding, Shino threw his two cents in, "However, that story does make sense on the face of it. In Naruto's duel with Kiba the only techniques he used were Shadow Clone, transformation and some improvised taijutsu. None of those moves seemed to involve anything advanced besides natural flexibility and strategy. Therefore, I can only conclude that Sakura is correct. Their sensei was rather negligent in his duties." Looking into the girls eyes, Kiba was forced to agree. She might have taken Hinata's place, but Sakura wasn't some interloper or evil bitch. Apparently she was actually just as much a victim of Team Seven as Naruto.

Rubbing his eyes, Kiba offered a hand. "Alright then, since you're so far behind we should get some training in. By now all the D-rank missions are gone for the day, so let's not burn anymore daylight. If you're going to pull your weight around here, you had better get ready to hurt. No one takes it easy on a girl in Team Eight, understood?" Sakura eyed the hand for a moment before smiling. "Thanks Kiba, I won't let you down." With a mighty clap, two hands joined as comrades, if not friends. Thus, Team Eight was reborn

-----

Author s Notes

Yeah, that was fun!

What, did you actually think that I was going to have those two fight each other with fists? Please, Sakura is nowhere near strong enough yet. No matter how much special training she s been getting lately, Kakashi has been a ninja for decades. Besides, it's much more fun to take pot shots at his reputation. I swear that the little jerk is one of the most self-absorbed a-holes on the planet. I'm putting him to the side for a bit, but this issue will come back; just not for a while.

Now I tried to answer as many of the reviews as I could this time. I hope that you all enjoyed my responses, or at least saw a bit of the method to my madness. One small concern that people are raising is the bane of many writers. I am of course talking about the **Super Naruto**. I have basically created a characterization of Naruto that has absurd amounts of potential, and will come out to save everyone on a white stallion. Too simple and easy to make for enjoyable reading I'm sure. (Not to say that I have anything against **Super Naruto**; I just don't want to write a 'perfect' character. It's more of a challenge that way.)

I know that the fights have been a little one sided so far, but in my defense there is one small problem. Naruto has ALREADY beaten these guys before. I make his fights seem kind of easy to emphasize this fact. If he could beat these enemies while sealed, how much easier should it be when he isn't? Besides, think on the latest cannon. In about five minutes, he beats an enemy the ENTIRE village couldn't manage. Given my hatred of OCs, this is a difficult situation. (Actually, I think I've only made one and a half OCs for this fic so far now that I think about it. Go me!) At least I still have some S-class ninja to play with.

That's not to say he doesn't have his flaws. All of his medical training is theoretical right now, he still hasn t learned anything else from the Forbidden Scroll yet, and his chakra control is all over the place. No, if my version of Naruto wants to be Hokage, he s going to have to learn how to use his brain some more. Besides, it's a chance for him to hang out with another cute girl. While I have made the pairing as clear as possible, I did promise you a bit of alternate WAFF didn t I? Well, enjoy that happy state of being.

Now, on to the next chapter! We will have a surprise guest, old friends, training and a scary decision! Please stay tuned, and keep on reviewing! Sometimes they are all that get me through the day!


	16. The Accidental Apprentice

No I don't own Naruto. That doesn't mean that I won't magically generate a Sharingan eye when it's convenient. Everyone else does .

Chapter Fifteen: The Accidental Apprentice

Nervously looking over his shoulder, Genin Akamon Manabu walked down the quiet street. Rumors were flying about of an infiltration team that was attacking Konoha ninja. Already, nearly twenty Chunin and ten Jonin had fallen to this mysterious force. No one had died, but each humiliation was seen as a subtle sort of warning. Sure the assailants could have simply killed their victims, but that didn't inspire the same sort of terror as tying them up and leaving them in the Hot Springs to be found by angry kunoichi. Except for those left naked and passed out in front of the homes of the female ANBU. Truly, anyone capable of such acts with that much information about the village was a horrible enemy.

The only odd thing was the lack of factors that linked the victims. All were Konoha ninja, true, but they worked for different departments. Each had unrelated postings to one another, and none were known to be friends. In fact, the only thing that they had in common was their general consensus against Uzumaki Naruto of all things. Why would an enemy infiltrator care about that? The only reason it was a factor was the fact that Jiraiya-sama seemed less than interested in dealing with the problem. At least, as long as the victims were members of the group that disliked the Kyuubi-brat.

Manabu had never even seen the Kyuubi container before their joint Chunin exams. However, he had heard about the little jerk for years from several civilian friends. Pranks, vandalism and torment seemed to be the only thing the bastard was good for. He took the term 'juvenile delinquent' to new lows. As a career Genin, the nerdy ninja couldn't stand the audacity of the little punk. Anyone who brought such shame to their profession was truly a demon. Unfortunately, the poor sucker mumbled that last part out loud.

Feeling someone approach him from behind, Manabu retrieved a kunai from his vest. These hooligans might have succeeded with the others, but he refused to allow anyone to take him down that easily! Turning around, he was faced with the ultimate opponent. "Yoohoo! I was wondering if you could help me. I seem to have lost something, and would be most appreciative if it's found." Observing the naked red head, Manabu fell over in a dead faint. Truly, this was a fearsome enemy indeed.

Returning to normal, Konohamaru smirked at the latest victim. None of the previous opponents had wanted to admit to this level of perversion, so they couldn't properly describe their attackers. That meant that the Konohamaru Corps had no trouble finding more and more bullies talking down about the boss, and taking them out! The only flaw in the plan so far was the gossiping hens all over the market place. There had to be a way to take those jerks down a peg to, but none of them could figure it out. After all, what was the equivalent attack against a girl anyways? That would require research and development that they had no time for at the moment.

Coming out of hiding, Udon was quick to douse the unlucky Genin with a sleeping drought. "So what should we do with this one? People are beginning to avoid the public baths again, and that scary snake lady left some guards outside her door after the last dump there." Binding Manabu's hands, Moegi smirked. "Why don't we drop this guy over at Kurenai-sama's? Boss said that nice but weird girl had her for a sensei, so she probably hates perverts too. Oh, and she's a Genjutsu mistress! She could send this guy into hell a dozen times before turning him over to the ANBU!"

Thinking about it, Konohamaru shook his head in regret. "Nah, Kurenai-sama hates perverts, but she's kind of dating uncle Asuma right now. If this guy was found in her apartment, he might get involved and stop us. Why don't we try Suzume-sensei's? She doesn't have any jealous boyfriends to deal with, and knows a bunch of ways to beat people up with flowers. I have heard that the last person to bring her a break-up bouquet ended up pissing blood for weeks!"

"Actually, the last person to break up with Suzume-san only urinated blood for two days. Now if she found you three doing this, a little blood would be the least of your problems." Stiffening, the Konohamaru Corps turned to find their greatest enemy glaring at them. Gulping, Konohamaru tried to keep his cool. "Er, hey Iruka-sensei! Just how long have you been there?" Glaring at the wayward Academy students, Iruka tapped his foot impatiently. "Oh, long enough. I think I want you to come with me right now. So don't even think of running!" Bowing his head in defeat, Konohamaru and company followed the Chunin shamefully. Iruka-sensei had even managed to capture the boss, so what chance did the three of them have?"

Left forgotten in the street, Manabu snored peacefully.

-----

Kneeling in front of Shizune-semapi, Hinata tried to control her blush. This was going to be the first time since coming to the Land of Bird's that she and Naruto were going to share lessons, and she wanted to enjoy it. Now that they had the time, Tsunade-sensei had said she was going to oversee her personal training. However, even with the barrier in place, Naruto was still too wild to train in ninjutsu without revealing their presence. So Shizune-sempai had decided to give them an overview of Genjutsu theory to make up for it. Although, before they could begin, she had to reveal something slightly embarrassing to everybody

Blinking, Shizune looked at Hinata with an expression of pure shock. "Wait, you studied under Kurenai the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha and you have no special skills in genjutsu?" Poking her fingers in self-consciousness, Hinata looked at the floor. "Well, Kurenai-sensei helped Shino and Kiba perfect their special clone techniques, but didn't think any of us would be particularly good at genjutsu. So while she trained us to detect them, she focused on physical development and teamwork drills that would take advantage of our family techniques." Frowning, Shizune shook her head. "While I cannot agree with her decision, that does allow me to give you a more comprehensive definition that Kurenai would. Get comfortable because this is going to take a while."

Clearing her throat, Shizune addressed the two Chunin. "Despite what some purists like Kurenai might believe, there are actually two standard kinds of genjutsu. The most commonly known are the techniques that effect the senses. You can be as obvious as removing them, or as subtle as replacing them with your own creation. In fact, a favorite method of using these in real battle is to layer multiple genjutsu on top of one another to cloud the senses further. However, these techniques require extensive chakra control and very creative minds. It is said that those masters at the pinnacle of the craft can create entirely new worlds so real that a death there means true death to an opponent. Of course, Kurenai is the first ninja of Konoha to approach this level without a bloodline or special family ninjutsu."

Smirking, Shizune shook her head in exasperation. "On the other hand, most masters of this technique view the second method of genjutsu as an embarrassing little cousin. These are actually a set of techniques that force emotional responses and sensations on targets. They range from advanced killing intent to stimulation of the pleasure centers. In fact most Kunoichi are required to learn them for infiltration missions. However, as a general rule these techniques are not very useful in direct battle. While they do not require incredible chakra control or anything, they are not very effective unless you have significantly more chakra than your target. Even if you manage that, most ninja have such a detachment from their emotional state that putting enough power into the techniques are exercises in futility. Therefore, while mostly useless for dealing with ninja, they are excellent tools for dealing with civilians. Of course, such actions are frowned upon as distasteful bullying of the weak. Despite our profession, no one really likes a bully. "

Blinking in surprise at the description, Hinata asked, "Shizune-sempai, if these techniques are so weak and distasteful, why do you know them? What purpose could emotional genjutsu have when acting as a medical ninja?" Coughing, the young brunet suddenly blushed. "Officially, they can be very useful when dealing with patient relatives who just discovered the passing of their loved one. Unofficially, it is a great way to get rid of a bunch of creditors when you're in a hurry. At the very least, they are a good place to start your education on the subject. Now, while we won't actually practice the techniques on one another, we will work on hand signs and emotional control. Are you ready to get started?"

-----

After the incident with the merchants, Ino had fewer problems than before. The questioning had netted ANBU fifteen different civilian clerks who had admitted to threatening and poisoning Naruto and more recently, herself. After such a solid display of intimidation, not many shopkeepers were stupid enough to attack her again. However, despite what some people said about blonde's, Ino was not about to return to their places of business. Instead, she made do with take out, ninja ration bars, and Naruto's cabinets full of Ramen.

Surprisingly enough, ninja supply stores didn't give her anywhere near the level of trouble that the civilian ones had. While she didn't use the Yamanaka family discount or account at any of them, her orders were treated with the same respect as anyone else. In addition, she had continued to enjoy the various restaurants around town without even a whisper of objection. Sakura would meet her at Ichiraku's every now and again, but Ino found herself liking dango more. After all, despite the increased quality, the blonde was eating a large amount of the instant stuff on the side. Between that and Asuma's occasional treat at the barbeque place, any sort of diet was out the window. Surprisingly enough, with all the effort she put into training and her mission, Ino hadn't even seen an ounce of fat build-up.

Of course, with the work out involved in maintaining the apartment, it was very hard to store any calories. While having the civilian clerks captured caused the abuse in the market to disappear, it brought the anger of their families. Once the perpetrators had been found guilty of undermining the ninja program's stability, their business licenses had been revoked. That left a number of family members gunning for her, and their harassment was only getting worse. First it was graffiti, then broken windows, and finally, someone had tried to break into the apartment while she was out training with her sensei. Luckily, she knew enough traps to catch the culprits, and had dutifully turned them over to ANBU.

Unfortunately, with the lack of an Uchiha police force, the ANBU often had to let the civilians go to conserve space. Not having learned their lessons, the vandals would try again, only to be captured by her latest trap. After nearly two weeks of this aggravation, Ino had enough. Reading through the mission scroll in more detail, she came to a surprising conclusion. If she wanted to maintain the security of the dwelling, special steps had to be taken.

Tightening the ropes of her prisoners, Ino checked the tarp for the third time. Since arrest was not working, she needed to try her intimidation. Therefore, two of her latest guests would not be turned over to ANBU in a timely fashion. "Now then gentlemen, I thank you for your patience. I do believe that you have attempted to break in and cause damage to this dwelling a grand total of eight times in the last week. I also believe that makes you a viable threat to my mission, and requires some proper impulse control, don't you?" Despite her sweet tone, the twirling kunai was definitely having an effect.

Swallowing, the elder trespasser visibly tried to brush off the pressure. "Now look here! You are a ninja of Konoha, and thus cannot attack any civilians! I demand that you untie us immediately!" Eyebrow twitching, Ino decided to turn it up a notch. Clearly, the intelligence of the average civilian was beginning to slip. "You have attempted to break into the properly registered house of a ninja in good standing, being watched by another ninja of good standing. That doesn't make you Konoha civilians. Instead, you've moved on to enemy combatant. As such, I am within my rights to do anything necessary to complete my mission. Hence the tarp to catch the mess I'm about to make."

The second civilian, smelling like three bars and two ash trays, looked at her blearily. "Ha, you think that Uzumaki is a ninja of good standing? That's a laugh. Everybody knows what that little brat really is! We don't need permission to take care of that trash!" Eye's narrowing, Ino gripped her kunai tighter. Suddenly, this wasn't just to let off some steam. "Oh, and just what is Naruto then, if not a ninja of good standing?" The drunk was about to answer, before his friend head butted him. "Shut up you idiot! Do you want to die?" Suitably intrigued by the behavior, Ino held the kunai to the nervous male. "So you know as well huh? Why don't you tell me what you're hiding, and I won't spill your blood. After all, you all think that I'm a bitch for leaving my family. What's a little blood to a ninja?"

However, the civilian remained silent. Fuming, Ino examined her other prisoner. Apparently the amount of alcohol and head butt had taken care of him in short order. It was so frustrating she could scream! Finally, she found a viable source of information on Naruto and why everybody seemed to hate him, and it was a stupid civilian! All she wanted to do was scare the bastards a bit, but now she was desperate to continue. It wasn't like Ino could simply take over his mind; she had no backup, and actually reading surface thoughts was more advanced than anything that she had learned so far.

These facts left her with one course of action. "I think that it's time for you to talk. We'll start with the left leg, and move on from there." Hiding her fear, Ino held the kunai knife at the subject's knee. One strike and the bastard would be walking with a limp for the rest of his life. "This is your last chance. Now would be an excellent time to start talking." Seeing his eyes widen in fear, she prepared to carry out the threat. Of course, that was the point that fate intervened.

Blinking, Ino looked first at her empty hand before turning to face the unexpected guest. "Hey there kiddo, long time no see! I heard that you had a pest problem, but don't you think that it would be easier to hire an exterminator than do the job yourself?" Twirling the purloined kunai, Mitarashi Anko smirked at her shocked expression before turning to the prisoners. "Oh, these really are some big rats! Let me help with that; dealing with vermin is one of my specialties!" Thankfully, Ino's decision to use the tarp was very useful at that point. Otherwise, the smell of bodily waste would have lingered in the apartment for weeks.

-----

Grumbling, Naruto headed towards Toki's quarters after only two hours of training. The theory behind genjutsu had actually been interesting, especially the part about a style that didn't require a lot of chakra control. But without test subjects or the ability to focus his chakra, Shizune had sent him to beg for political training from the princess while Tsunade-baa-chan worked on Hinata's dodging skills. He wasn't about to get angry that Hinata was finally getting personal attention from Baa-chan, but it rankled that they didn't have the room to work on his own technique. Besides, increased mental abilities or not, this stuff gave him a headache.

His sulking ended rapidly with the sound of a crash down the hall. Recognizing the noise as coming from Toki's section of the hide out, he sped up, worried that enemy forces had discovered their location. Toki might be a little standoffish at times, but she was still the princess, and every good ninja knew that protecting the princess was central to their duties. Besides if someone killed her, who would teach him about politics? Chishima was too busy sulking right now to be of any help.

Cracking the door open, Naruto was shocked by what he saw. Toki was twirling some sort of weapon around, shouting with every strike. Despite her slight build, the princess had no problems moving through form after form, graceful as the wind. Naruto wasn't much of a weapons user, but even he could see that the skill required to attack and defend so easily was immense. The sheer beauty of the scene stunned him into immobility. Of course, the sweat drenched uniform that was clinging to her curves slightly had nothing to do with his silence at all.

Finally, the display ended with Toki holding the weapon in a ready position while taking a deep breath. Of course, now that all of her concentration was no longer on the training, Toki had the same pervert sense as any other woman. "Ok, who's out there? Show yourself!" Gulping, Naruto opened the door all the way. While his survival instincts had never been especially strong when it came to girls, that didn't mean he couldn't learn a trick or two. Hopefully, he could get away with it by not looking like a complete sicko. "Wow, Toki-hime! That was incredible! I heard a loud noise, and thought you might have been under attack, but then I saw you moving and couldn't even breathe! Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Blinking at the praise, Toki was unable to hide a small blush. "Well Naruto, all women of the noble class in Bird are required to gain mastery of the naginata. Originally, it was to protect our homes when the men went off to war, but nowadays it's simply tradition. I was just so tired of all the paperwork; I thought that I should let off some steam. It really helps me focus my mind after a couple of kata." Grinning, Naruto couldn't help but agree with the reasoning. Nothing cleared the air like trying to kick the crap out of someone.

Remembering that he was going to have to work a lot with Toki anyways, Naruto had a sudden idea. Why waste all that time with boring old discussions about politics, when he could learn something more enjoyable? "Hey Toki-hime, could you teach me some of that? I've never seen weapon technique like that before, and it could be a lot of fun! Please?" Reaching into his old bag of tricks, Naruto attempted his patented 'giant puppy eye's of doom.' This technique didn't work too well in Konoha where most of the population hated him. In fact, the only recipient who had ever been publicly affected by it before was Ayame of Ichiraku Ramen when he was seven. Ever since then, she was not allowed to determine how many bowls of ramen he could consume.

However, Toki had no prejudices against Naruto for the Kyuubi, so her reaction was a little extreme. "Why, of course I could teach you! It would be nice to have a sparring partner to work with every now and then. I'll just get you some additional training tools from upstairs and we can get to work right away!" Blinking at the rapid acceptance, and weird stars in her eyes, Naruto scratched his head. No matter what he did or learned, the blonde determined he was never going to understand women.

Heading to the door, Toki paused for a minute. "Oh, but Naruto, this is going to be a lot of hard work. I hope that you are ready to sweat and bleed, because I am not going easy on you." Grinning at the challenge, Naruto attempted his own form of the 'nice guy pose.' He really needed to hang out with bushy brow more when he got home. "I don't fear any hard work! Give me your worst!" While not quite famous last words, he would reflect in later years to be much more careful what he said in the future.

-----

Gasping for breath, Hinata continued to dodge the small, rapidly moving projectiles. Since they lacked sufficient space to work on the traditional dodging exercise of avoiding small explosives, Tsunade-sensei had decided to focus on subtler motions using Hinata's Byakugan. Therefore, the young Hyuga was forced to maintain her doujutsu for nearly an hour while avoiding glass marbles being flicked at her at insane speeds by the Slug Sannin. Of course, to work on her flexibility, Tsunade made a point of forcing her to keep her feet in place during the entire attempt. Honestly, it felt like every muscle group in her torso was pulled out of position.

However, despite the difficulty of the exercise, Hinata couldn't help but notice the difference. When the shy Hyuga had started her training under Shizune, endurance and precision had been her major issues. The chakra and physical control were there, only waiting to be uncovered. But ever since the battle in the Land of Vegetables, it was almost like her issues had been revised. Now her physical endurance and chakra volume were much larger, causing her acquired control to suffer. Although this seemed to cut down on the strain of the Byakugan, the loss of control made her efforts that much harder.

Luckily, she was beginning to adapt to the sudden surge. Each time that she tracked the projectiles came easier and more cleanly than before. Overcompensation over anticipated strikes was fewer and fewer as time went on. Despite the fact that they had been working for so long, Hinata was only feeling revitalized by the extra effort. Soon, she would be one step closer to proving herself to everyone, including herself!

Unfortunately, this moment of introspection was enough to distract her from Tsunade's latest strike. Given the dimensions and velocity of the marble, she managed to get a hairline fracture to her left arm bone. Biting her lip at the crack, Hinata forced herself not to react. After all, pain was simply another teaching tool and nothing more. Besides, based upon the slowly receding throb she must have imagined its severity.

Shaking her head, Tsunade headed over to the young Chunin. "I think that's enough for right now, Hinata. Now let me have a look at that injury." Forming the basic hand signs for her healing jutsu, Tsunade ran her glowing hand over the arm, generating goose bumps. "Well, the break was fairly small and pretty clean all things considered. After a treatment you should be good to continue by tomorrow." Patting her on the head, the Slug Sannin smiled at her latest apprentice. "That was very good Hinata-chan! You control and endurance was much higher than I was expecting. Before you know it, you might be dodging circles around me!"

Blushing, Hinata smiled lightly back at her new teacher. "Thank you Tsunade-sensei. But I'm sure that the traditional training will be much more difficult than what we have attempted so far. Thank you for modifying it for me during our stay here." Sighing, Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Hinata, while this isn't the normal training, don't underestimate the difficulty of the exercise. Once we get some more room to attempt the traditional training, I'm sure that you'll understand just how much you have actually accomplished here. So don't worry too much, ok?"

Smiling at the blushing girl, Tsunade stretched out her sore arms. "Now let's go see what sort of trouble Naruto's managed to get himself into, alright? Oh, and remember that once your abilities have grown a bit, we will start working on cellular regeneration and repair work. But your control still needs some work before attempting that." Sighing at the distance still left to go; Hinata joined her teacher in the search for the hyperactive blonde. By now, she was completely unmindful of the fact that her arm was not even aching a bit.

-----

Biting into her dumplings savagely, Ino took a moment to glare at her irritating dining partner. After scaring the civilians to the point of soiling themselves, Anko had grabbed her tarp and secured the two for transport. Then, she had ordered the young Yamanaka to meet her at the Dango stand for a debriefing. Wilting a bit under the snake kunoichi's professional gaze, the blonde had followed her orders, believing that she might finally get some official information. Instead, Anko had started pumping her for free dango upon arriving and didn't seem interested in stopping anytime soon. With her current funds, Ino knew she might just find herself mimicking Naruto's eating habits if this kept up.

"You know kid, you were very lucky that I showed up when I did." Cleaning the skewer, the Special Jonin fixed her with a look. "Assaulting or interrogating Konoha civilians is a very touchy subject. At the most, they should only be handled by professionals within the Torture and Interrogation department. Ninja who take it upon themselves to police the population can get into a lot of trouble over stuff like this." Huffing, Ino shoved her feelings of unease back into the depths of her stomach where they belonged. "I was on a mission where the standard protocol was ineffective. Since the subjects had repeatedly attacked the residence under my protection, it was my job to insure that I could stop any further attempts. The only way I could see that happening was with more information on the motivations of the opposition."

Smirking, Anko shook her head. "That's a very pretty speech, I'll give you that. But if the civilian population got wind that you were attacking them, you would not believe the amount of shit that you would have to deal with. A few bigoted shopkeepers would have been the least of your worries. If intelligence was such a major issue with your mission, you should have put in the forms like everyone else."

Weeks of frustration moved Ino to make a slightly hasty action. Slamming her hand on the table, the young Genin glared Anko in the eye and growled. "I have put in the forms to get access to their interrogation reports, but every attempt has been denied! How am I supposed to do my job if I cannot trust my comrades to help me when I need it? These punks have almost broken in nearly twenty times, and they have been drunk enough to give away some of their plans. I will not be sexually assaulted because some tight ass cousin of mine is sitting on intelligence out of spite!" Breathing deeply, Ino worked hard to bring her emotions under control. Despite the tough girl act she had in place since watching Naruto's apartment, the constant stream of attacks was beginning to wear down her defenses. Not knowing the reasons was simply icing on a cake of disappointment.

Blinking, Anko reached for more dango. "Well if you're that worried about it, I could see what I could dig up. But remember that you're a kunoichi and that puts you leagues ahead of the trash who might try to attack you. Keep that in mind and you should be alright." Chuckling, the Snake ninja gulped down a dumpling happily. "Of course if that attempt at intimidation was your best shot, stick to trap building. Such a setup would barely faze an Academy student, let alone a civilian from a ninja village." Blushing, Ino glowered at the disrespect. "Hey it was my first time! It's not like you were a genius at torture right off the bat, right?"

Narrowing her eyes at the implied challenge, Anko grinned. "Nah, but my first interrogation was at about nine years old. By the time I was your age, I had already learned how to seduce, interrogate and eviscerate a target within two hours. Of course that was only if I was feeling bored." Blinking at the simple statement, Ino bit her lip. Asuma-sensei was nice and all, but she didn't really have a lot of female role models to work with. Kurenai-sensei was too busy dealing with Sakura, Tsunade had left the village, and Tenten-sempai was currently tearing the training grounds apart to relieve her stress. Therefore, none were available to mentor a lonely little Kunoichi like her. However, this conversation could be the beginning of a beautiful working relationship.

Swallowing her pride, Ino tried to meet the Snake ninja's eyes. "Anko-sama? Is there any chance you could show me some moves? I need to work on my interrogation and it occurs to me that you would be a great role model. Please?" Blinking, Anko began to roar with laughter. "Bwahahahahahah!!!! Me a good role model? Man kid, did Uzumaki leave some paint cans lying around his apartment? Because right now you sound like you're high on fumes!" Wiping a tear away, Anko managed to get a hold of herself. "I will give you props for the flattery though. However, Ibiki called dibs on any interrogation training when we heard about your graduation from the Academy. Your dad taught him, so he feels kind of obligated you know?"

Rolling her eyes, Ino managed to change her pleading gaze into a flat stare with little trouble. "Right, Ibiki will train me while I'm on the outs with Dad. If you believe that, I've got a bridge in Wave to sell you." Scratching her head, Anko had the minimal amount of decency to look somewhat abashed. "Ok, I guess I can see your point. But it's not like I have the best reputation around town. If you start working under me, you might not be able to repair your image." Wavering slightly, Ino took a deep breath. This was a chance to get strong enough to defend herself and find out the truth. No matter what the consequences, the need to know was simply too strong to ignore. "Teach me, Anko-sama and I am yours to command."

Biting another dango slowly, Anko leared at her new pupil. "Well, thanks for the offer, but you're a little young for my taste. However, I might take you up on that later." Standing, the Snake mistress stretched out, apparently in anticipation. "Well kid, we'll get started tomorrow at dawn. No pet of mine is going to be a lazy bones! Oh, and go let Asuma know about the training alright? I'll meet you at Training Ground Forty-four. Don't be late or I'll sick some pythons on you!" Watching the crazy Jonin saunter off, Ino began to wonder if she could plead temporary insanity or something.

-----

Humming cheerfully, Shizune held the test tube up to the light. Between her training, Tsunade-sama's debts, and the various issues that they had to deal with on the road, pure medical research wasn't really a possibility. But since they couldn't move until Sagi woke up, and the training opportunities within the hidden passageways were limited, she finally had the time to work on a project at her leisure. Even if they had stayed in Konoha for a longer period of time, it was doubtful that she could have found the time for such pursuits while keeping Tsunade focused on the job. Now she got to dissect an interesting medical issue without eminent threat and it was surprisingly fulfilling.

With all the extra time, dissecting and distilling the elements of the Kaguya was child's play. Apparently, the Cursed Seal produced a specialized mutagenic enzyme that could rapidly alter a person's cellular structure. Based upon the makeup of the chemical, Orochimaru apparently developed it from an original organic source. Not only did this underline the genius of the twisted Sannin, but demonstrated a major problem. Somewhere, probably because of an unstable kekkei genkai, there was a person or persons with the ability to naturally develop the effects of the Cursed Seal. The thought of an entire army of such creatures was enough to scare the spit out of her.

Luckily, the enzyme had a couple of major flaws. First of all, it broke down very rapidly, making maintaining the changes stressful and extremely draining. If held for too long, a subject's body could begin to break down from the strain. Secondly, the initial adaption to the chemical was difficult, lowering the chances of survival even further. No wonder Orochimaru seemed to rely upon the Curse Seal ninja so much; anyone who could survive the experience had potential that mustn t be wasted.

However, the seals themselves were far beyond their ability to decode. Within the compression of the seal matrix, the commands were numerous and complex. They could only derive their overall purpose from simple observation and hypothesis. Firstly, the seal would synthesize the enzyme and infuse it throughout the biology of the recipient. Secondly, the seal would attempt to tweak the biology of the recipient into constructive and functional improvements. Finally, the seal would self-destruct upon the user's death, breaking down the remaining enzyme nearly four times as rapidly as before. If it wasn't for the Kaguya's calcium deposits reacting to the enzyme's structure, they wouldn't have had a chance to analyze the chemical to this degree. Keeping him in a transformed state was simply a side effect.

The one thing that could be stated with absolute certainty was a lack of evidence concerning how the enzyme would affect the mental state of the recipient. While it might increase adrenaline levels and alter brain chemistry to a degree, the Seal was no more severe than the effects of a food pill overdose. While there might be other contributing factors, one thing was clear. Uchiha Sasuke did not abandon Konoha solely due to the effects of the Cursed Seal chemical releases. With this thought, any tiny bit of guilt she might have held on to due to the Uchiha's fate at her own hands completely dissipated.

While there were more aspects of the seal to unravel, that was more a project of Jiraiya. The good news was, with the discovery of the second enzyme developed to remove the chemical from a dead soldier, more effective countermeasures could be developed. With patience, they might even be able to develop a biological weapon that could attack only those with the seal! Even better, by dissolving the enzyme, full removal was a possibility. Anko would be absolutely thrilled!

-----

Nodding to her newest pupil, Tsunade checked Hinata's injury from the day before. Satisfied that the healing was complete, the Slug Sannin motioned her to take a seat. "I think that we'll take a day or two before continuing the dodging practice. In the meantime, I have a technique that will be the cornerstone of your offensive training. Naruto's control isn't going to be good enough for a while, but you're at the point where it should be safe." Taking a scroll, Tsunade unsealed a rather large bolder. "Now, I want you to activate your Byakugan and watch what I do, ok?"

Facing the stone, Tsunade held up a fist. With a casual flick of her finger, the stone split in two. "This is my enhanced strength technique. While many have tried to replicate it, only Shizune has ever had the potential to use it effectively. Of course, she prefers to fight from a distance and refrains from close range taijutsu whenever possible. Now, what did you see when I hit the bolder." Frowning, Hinata cocked her head to the side. "Well, you focused a large amount of chakra into your finger at the point of impact. But, immediately afterwards there was a little surge of power running backwards over the surface of the finger. What was that?"

Smiling, Tsunade shook her head in amazement. "I amplified the effect slightly, but you are the first Hyuga to figure out the backlash was over the finger rather than through it. That was very well done Hinata! What I am about to tell you is a mystery that hundreds of medical ninja across the elemental countries have yet to figure out." Straightening, Tsunade lowered the pitch of her voice to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. This was one of her greatest secrets after all. "When any other medical ninja try to replicate my strength technique, they believe that I use Chakra to not only enhance the strike, but reinforce my limb to deal with the reflected force of the impact. Not only is that impractical, but ineffective. I've seen ninja use everything from earth style ninjutsu to increase their limbs density to brackets to enhance their chakra control. All of these attempts fail, often damaging their muscular structure to the point they can no longer be ninja."

Forcing the Hyuga to maintain eye contact, Tsunade winked. "While it's true that I focus my chakra across my attacking limbs to enhance their strength, I also use that same released power to guide to rebound pressure across my skin. Not only does it allow me to enhance my strikes, the amount of control over chakra required to even attempt it is mind blowing. Over the years, I have made this reaction part of my muscle memory, so every strike prevents more than a certain amount of damage to rebound onto my limbs. Oh, I still take some damage to maintain my muscle integrity, but nothing too significant. How else do you think that I maintain a manicure after beating up the bad guys?"

Eyes widening Hinata looked at her in awe, an expression that the Slug Sannin was well acquainted with. "That's amazing, Tsunade-sensei! Controlling and condensing enough chakra to make the hit would be hard enough, but using that same power to protect yourself? It's beyond belief! You honestly think that I could learn to do that?" Patting the girls shoulder, Tsunade reached for one of her scrolls. "Actually, I think that you might have an advantage over me. With your Byakugan, you can more accurately view the motion of your chakra, and adjust appropriately." Unsealing a large stone pillar, the Sannin set it up with a single hand. "Now, the first training exercise is to get used to the feeling of your own reflected power. I want you to strike this pillar with you right arm, lightly to start off. Try to feel the impact on your fist from the stone, and then guide it. Don't get discouraged if nothing happens right at first! It took me months to even get the basics of the move, and you are going to be building on it during the entire course of our training! With enough work, you might even be able to integrate it into your own taijutsu style. Now get started!"

Nodding her agreement, Hinata began to strike the pillar. Each blow left no mark to the structure, but the fire in her eye was unmistakable. Looking on, Tsunade couldn't help but feel her smile become gentle. She might act more like the second coming of Shizune, but Hinata had strength in her only a fool would miss. She would keep going, bleeding and broken, if only to protect the one most precious to her. That was the power that an excellent ninja needed to make a name for themselves. Now she could claim to have guided three ninja on that path to greatness.

-----

Standing in front of his students, Iruka decided on a rant number four. It was simple, overwhelming, and had even driven Naruto to repent his crimes in the past. "What is the matter with you three? Do you have any understanding of the trouble you are in? You have attacked ninja of Konoha for weeks, endangering their lives! Half of the ninja force is on high alert fearing that we've been infiltrated by Sound! What could have possibly been so important that you would put the entire village at risk for some pranks? You know that Naruto would be so disappointed with you."

Refusing to be cowed, the Sarutobi heir met his rant head on. "But Iruka-sensei, we're just Academy Students! How were we able to defeat ninja if they weren't already super weak? Besides, all those jerks deserved what they got!" Pinching his nose, the teacher sighed. "Ok, what did the ninja do to you? Get the last sweet from the bakery first? Or maybe they caught you on another prank and decided to let you go with a warning? What could be so bad that you would strip someone and leave them tied up at the communal baths?" Glaring cutely, Moegi sniffed in indignation. "Those meanies were talking badly about the boss! They deserved everything that they got!"

Blinking, Iruka narrowed his eyes. That couldn't be right, could it? "What are you talking about? What exactly did they say that upset you like this?" Sniffing, Udon narrowed his eyes. Iruka remembered that while Konohamaru was the will and Moegi was the heart, Udon was definitely the brains of their little group. "They said that he was a demon who seduced Tsunade-sama. Some said that she was an idiot for falling for it and others said that Naruto-boss should have died on his last mission. A lot of them thought that the guys that hurt him deserved medals or something."

Iruka felt himself grow cold. When the rumors of Naruto's abuse had come out, he hadn't known what to do. As the poor boy's sensei, he felt it was his oversight that led to such a tragety. However, like a lot of people, Iruka had looked down on Naruto for his burden when they first met. He might not have held him up or anything, but Iruka could have done much more to insure the kid's success. Finally acknowledging that mistake was one of the hardest, most painful experiences of his ninja career. At the same time, he had never felt more fulfilled as a human being. But to discover so many of his fellow ninja still looked down upon the blonde was an unwelcome reminder of his own hatred, and it brought him up short.

Looking down at the Konohamaru Corps, Iruka couldn't find it in his heart to punish them. Not only was it amazing that they had done as much as they had with such a silly technique, it was an unwelcome wakeup call as to the laxity within the forces when Academy Students mimicking naked women could bring them down. Honestly, a part of him could admire the poetic justice of the situation. But if he did nothing, the next ninja to catch them might not take such a pragmatic view of their actions. As their sensei and a responsible adult, he couldn't simply look the other way this time.

Thinking it over, the Chunin blinked. Back in his own Genin days, a program had been suggested to improve village security. Unfortunately, the Uchiha clan had shot it down, viewing the idea as a direct attack upon their authority. But with them gone and Jiraiya-sama in power, it might just be the perfect time to resurrect the practice. Narrowing his eyes, Iruka lowered his voice. "Alright, listen you three. I'm going to talk with the Hokage and try to make some arrangements. Meet me here at eight tomorrow morning, no dawdling. Understood?" Nodding rapidly, the young children dispersed top the four winds.

Iruka had always been mild-mannered and fair to a fault. It was one of the reasons that he had been teaching a class of prodigies and clan heirs in the first place. But to those who remembered him as a child, the image of the serious and careful ninja sensei was not what came to mind. A short, lonely boy who was the king of pranks and attention grabbing stunts had made such an impression that he was passed over for consideration for Jonin nearly twice before taking his current assignment. Now however, he had a new group to teach and new lessons to learn. Getting some sort of petty revenge for Naruto might not improve the blonde's life. But it would sure as hell make him feel better.

-----

Taking Sagi-dono's temperature, Tsunade sighed. After nearly ten days, things had badly stalled out in the Land of Birds. Toki and Chishima refused to act without Sagi's orders, while they were stuck in the palace. Neither would budge, leaving the entire Konoha group at loose ends. They could attempt to make use of the time with training all they wanted, but the sad fact of the matter was they were stuck in a hostile environment without an exit strategy. If the Daimyo didn't wake up soon, who knew what would happen.

At least the friendship between Toki and Naruto probably meant that they wouldn't be thrown out any time soon. Finding out that the boy was getting political training from the princess was one thing, but discovering that she was teaching him weapon techniques was something else. Although she thought the naginata was an odd choice for the blonde. She had always pegged him as a sword user like his mother. She hadn't gotten the name Red Death for nothing. After this was all over, she should probably authorize some additional training on the subject just to be fair. He had so few connections to his legacy as it was.

Hinata's progress was one of the few positives of the isolation. She had improved her dodging significantly, and was getting much stronger. Although they didn't have the facilities to practice pure medical ninjutsu yet, what they did accomplish was still very impressive. At her current rate of growth, the little Hyuga might just be strong enough to surpass her some day. Of course, until she mastered the strength technique that wasn't happening. But she was getting closer every day.

The only other major accomplishment seemed to be the research on the Cursed Seal. With focused time and effort, both she and Shizune had managed to fully break down the nature of the enzyme, allowing the possibility of its destruction. Oh, it wasn't perfect yet, what with all the safeguards Orochimaru wrote into the damn thing. But this was the closest that anyone had gotten to defeating that snake's masterpiece in years. Just think; without the extra time and lack of major responsibilities, this discovery could have never been made! Now all they needed was for Jiraiya to look over the decoded seal matrix, and help determine the nature of its complete destruction.

Reaching for a cool cloth, Tsunade was surprised by stirring in the pallet next to her. Turning, the Slug Sannin was shocked by the open and very much alive gaze of Sagi! "Where...where is my sister." The words seemed to strain what little reserves the Daimyo had managed to acquire, but Tsunade couldn't find it in her heart to care. Finally, with his awakening, they could move forward again! "Toki-hime is safe, Daimyo-sama. I'll go get her for you. Just stay here and rest a bit longer." Rising to her feet, the Slug Princess moved with speed greater than her years should allow. Finally things could get interesting again!

-----

Authors Notes

Yahoo! I m finally done!

This chapter was very difficult on many levels. While I loved the concepts of what was happening, no matter what I did the dialogue felt slightly forced. Part of me thought that I should break it up a bit, but I decided against that. After all, the image of Anko-chan making civilians piss themselves was too juicy to pass up :)

I thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. I am sorry I didn t respond to them as much as in the past, but it was hard to keep up. So many points and PM s made my day, and I am hopeful that this trend will continue. The fact that this story has gotten over seven hundred reviews has blown me away. I thank you from the bottom of my heart :D

I m grateful that no one seemed to mind how Sakura and Kakashi s confrontation went. Honestly that had me worried. However, those of you who wanted to provide new punishments for the Cyclops, well my hat is off for you. For the curious readers, yes Kakashi will have this evening come back to bite him. But no, that will not be for a little while. Honestly? I m just so bored of the guy I don t want to write him for as long as I can manage. There are others who deserve the spot light way more.

On that happy note, get ready for the next chapter. It s time to check for drugs in the water supplies, because no one can be THAT stupid. ;)


	17. Phantoms in the Night

No I don't own Naruto. However, I'm beginning to wonder if the current Mizukage is up for some flexible negotiations. :)

Chapter Sixteen: Phantoms in the Night

Leaning against the wall opposite Sagi-dono's room, Tsunade released a sigh of contentment. When the patient had taken so long to awaken, she had begun to worry about his chances for a full recovery. Luckily, he seemed to be making up for the lost time, calling for his sister and Chishima for a proper update. If everything went well, Sagi would trust them enough to push things forward so something would happen. With all the secrecy involved with the potential traitors, everyone was starting to get bored and listless.

Really, the young Daimyo should be grateful that they stayed as long as they did! Not only had this cut into their training time, it had put the entire entourage from Konoha in terrible danger. Several of the other hidden villages would have left days ago, stating that without a proper contract this wasn't their fight. Technically, her first priority was to improve Hinata's skills and insure Naruto's complete recovery. Superficially at least, staying the Land of Birds ran counter to those goals. But as a medic, it rubbed her wrong to leave things as they were, a sentiment that Naruto would probably share. Anyways if, in the process of helping out, they built some more political support then things would go that much better. With Sagi still recovering, it wasn't like they could just get thrown out of the country.

Looking up at the sound of footsteps, Tsunade saw the depressed view of Chishima. Taking the unspoken invitation, the blonde Hokage entered the room while sketching a quick bow to the righted Daimyo. With Toki on his right hand and Chishima joining on his left, Sagi painted the picture of a true nobleman, despite his relative youth. "Thank you for waiting, Tsunade-sama. I apologize for the delay, but I needed to be appraised by those I know I can trust. As timely as you intervention was, we have yet to be properly introduced, and such awkwardness should be minimized to the greatest degree during such meetings."

Nodding her understanding, Tsunade smiled softly. "You have very devoted friends and family. Chishima begged on his knees for our aide when he thought we might help your father, and Toki tried to take my head off to keep me from hurting you. It is only reasonable that you would seek their opinions on this sort of matter." Noting their respective blushes at being singled out, she bit back a chuckle. Kids today were just too cute.

Sighing, Sagi managed to start things off with a surprise. Moving carefully and as if in great pain, he positioned himself in a deep bow. "On behalf of myself and my country, I thank you for your intervention and support concerning my injury. With the intrigue that would have been generated if these wounds had been made public, my sister, my loyal retainer, and myself would have been in great danger. For our safety and continued security, I am deeply grateful." Surprised by the sincerity of the thanks, Tsunade could only bow in return. Most lords didn't accept that level of debt in their dealings with other powers.

Sighing, Sagi looked sadly at Chishima. "Based upon the evidence that both Toki-hime and Chishima-kun have presented, both from your students and their own observations, I have to conclude that Mousou is the one behind this attack. Not only is his control of the ninja forces within the Land of Birds suspicious, but I have always had doubts about his performance to my father. It was one of the reasons that I encouraged Chishima to learn from him, on the off-chance that he let something slip. Unfortunately, that man is far more dangerous than he appears if he can constantly hide his nature from my old friend." Chishima had the decency to look embarrassed.

Frowning, Sagi focused his attention back onto Tsunade. "Regrettably, this puts me in a slightly precarious position. With Mousou controlling those ninja, all that is left are the regular militia. Koumei probably didn't try to kill me, but I am not convinced that he will work against Mousou directly. While he is loyal to Bird, Koumei did not agree to my appointment to Daimyo and might use this opportunity to take control of the country to insure peace on his terms. Not only would that be a direct threat to my power, but it would also cut off our options of dealing with Mousou."

Cocking her head to the side, Tsunade sighed. This was the high end political bull that she always hated dealing with in the village. "So what would you like me to do about it, Sagi-dono? Based upon the descriptions and general ability shown by Mousou's forces, they are most likely the wandering ninja clans. While numerous, the overall ability of these people are mid-Chunin at best. They go from country to country stealing jutsu and secrets to develop their own styles. Compared to my group, it would be like harvesting grain to take them out. But if we handle all the leg work that might leave you vulnerable to take over from Koumei once we depart. Do you have any ideas?"

Smirking, Sagi nodded to a blushing Toki. "My sister has suggested a plan to test Koumei's loyalty. While slightly dramatic, I believe that she can independently pull it off. Honestly, it's our best bet at the moment. The more pressing concern is rejoining the court in public. Tensions are already high, and without some assurance of my stability, both sides of this conflict will have more material to use against me. That is the only place where your group might come in. I would prefer to have a healer on hand to insure my stability and assure the various officials that the medical issue has been taken care of. In return, I am willing to work with the demands that you initially made of Chishima. While I can move around a bit and talk, I get the feeling that the next few weeks will be difficult enough without turning down help."

Returning his smirk, Tsunade supressed the urge to jump for joy. Thank all that was holy this went so smoothly. Soon, everything would be settled and they could move on. "I believe that my senior assistant would be the best choice. She attracts less attention and is used to fading into the background. If there are no other issues, then I pledge my group to your service for the duration of our time here, only to end that once our services are no longer required." Bowing, Tsunade began to wonder if Naruto's luck was rubbing off on her. Maybe it was time to hit one of the local casinos again?

-----

The Inuzuka clan was not large, but they did have some pretty strong traditions. The pack was everything to them, and cementing their bonds of family was central to their ideologies. Therefore, any Inuzuka family members would spend as much time with one another as ninja responsibilities and preference would allow. The dog ninjas played hard, ate hard, and fought hard as one entity. So skipping a meal because your close relations wanted to kill one another was simply not allowed, no matter how attractive it seemed.

Kiba was currently cursing his luck, as both his mother and sister were in the village today. Hana had returned from an escort mission the night before, and Tsume was tied up with political maneuvering at the moment. Both had been avoiding the other for as long as possible, but Inuzuka tradition was a very hard thing to overcome. So when the opportunity to eat as a family arose, none of the trio even thought of skipping out or leaving early. Family came first, even if you wanted to rip their throats out.

Shoveling some rice into his mouth, Kiba began to think of excuses to use for the near future. Akamaru might need to develop a bladder infection that required extra walks. Or, he could volunteer for extra night training and sleep the day away. Of course the best option was to join Sakura in her morning runs for moral support. Lately, Kurenai-sensei had been dumping extra exercise on the girl hoping to get her ready for a real C-rank mission before they all went nuts from boredom. Even if she was still a little irritating, it would have to be loads better than two want-to-be alphas glaring at each other over coffee.

It wasn't like they were yelling yet. His mom was at the head of the table, wolfing down a large breakfast and enjoying her privileged position. As acknowledged Alpha, she had to establish her dominance a lot, lest they all forget their places. Hana was at the other end of the table, as far from the elder Inuzuka as possible, sipping her tea. Neither seemed ready to start attacking, but they refused to break eye contact. Stuck in the middle of the silent show down, Kiba prepaired for the fight that was brewing like any good clan male; finishing his breakfast, he stood ready to break for it. Unfortunately, both sides decided that was the perfect moment to alleviate the situation.

Standing up, Tsume looked down at her two children. Kiba had seen this a hundred times whenever someone challenged the woman's authority. It was a moment in which the matriarch could be her most dangerous. "Alright pup, have you come to your senses yet? The longer we put off taking a slot in the breeding program, the more likely the clan looses its chance at the Sharingan. So take your leave of absence already so we can get started!" Gulping, Kiba relied upon his stealth training; make no sudden movements and limit your breathing, or your enemy might cut your throat.

Calmly feeding her three partners the remainder of the bacon, Hana met Tsume's gaze without fear. "I don't see what the problem is mom. What exactly am I doing wrong by refusing to bear the offspring of such a treasonous clan? The Uchiha are dead in Konoha, so let them rest in peace already." Despite her calm words, the younger Inuzuka couldn't help but notice the deep groves forming under her hands on the chair's armrests. She hadn't caused that much damage by accident since the last time someone had peeped on the young heiress in the Hot Springs.

Narrowing her eyes, Kaa-chan didn't acknowledge the words at all. "The Sharingan has been a part of this village for generations. While the latest batch turned out rotten, a lot of our defenses depend upon that skill to continue. As the most loyal Konoha clan, the Inuzuka have a responsibility to insure the safety of our home. You can get as pissed as you want, but the pack will fulfill its duty, and this is a vital part of that! So get off your ass and apply already before I spank you!" Lowering himself slowly, Kiba began to pray. Commanding Hana was one thing, but questioning her loyalty was an entirely different prospect.

Getting up, Hana glared at her mother. "A ninja village is built upon more than a single skill or affinity. Konoha has survived without the Uchiha for years, and we can continue to do so. I don't think that the ability is good or evil to be honest. But if you think that I will allow my first born to come from the loins of a little prick that tried to suck off the Snake Sannin, you've got another think coming! I serve Konoha and I serve the clan as a ninja, not a breeding bitch!" Akamaru, frozen by the raw killing intent in the air, bolted into his master's lap. Terrified, Kiba couldn't even notice.

Squaring her shoulders, Tsume asked formally, "Are you challenging me pup as Alpha? If so I won't go easy on you." She would not either. Inuzuka Tsume was a loving mother and loyal ninja, but she would never cut you any slack. That way, you were more likely to come back from a mission alive.

Tilting her head, Hana gave an evil grin. "Nah, I won't challenge you for the title. But since you seem to be going senile, I would definitely suggest retirement. You can spread you legs for the little bastard all you want, because I sure as hell not doing it!" Blinking in shock at the insult, worse than anything used at the dining table in his lifetime, Kiba decided enough was enough. So like any proud Inuzuka male, he bolted while the women started to attack one another.

-----

Yawning, the soldier attempted to remain awake. Ever since the court had resumed its proper functions four days previous, security had been on a heightened state of alert. While he appeared to be in fine health, rumors abounded about the weakened condition of the Daimyo. Each faction had already begun to maneuver for power, knowing that if anything else happened, a new leader could be appointed. Wary of turmoil, Koumei had already alerted his men to be prepared to move against the ninja forces of Mousou. The constant tension had everyone working double shifts, and it was beginning to show.

Thinking about the rumors of trouble, he couldn't help but recall the princess's memorial service the day before. Due to the concerns of infection the medical specialists had already destroyed Toki-dono's corpse, but nearly a hundred nobles had attended a special ceremony honoring the young woman. The princess had numerous admirers within the court, and several had been moved to tears. He himself had even seen the beautiful young woman from afar before, and was saddened that such a wonderful person was taken from the world. However, if her brother followed Toki-dono to the afterlife, then he trusted Koumei-sama would protect them. Such a leader would insure the sanctity of the land for generations!

Hearing a clinking sound, the guard stiffened. While they were on a heightened state of alarm, the forces of Bird rotated on a very specific schedule. However, the ninja forces under Mousou did not wear armor heavy enough to make that much noise. So he had an armed opponent of unknown origin wandering around in the dead of night doing who knows what. Just the sort of thing he didn't need right now.

Signaling to his fellow soldiers, he began to track the noise through the underbrush. It was soft, but with the lack of other noise made following it fairly simple. Before they knew it, the group was in front of the royal tomb where the previous Daimyo had been laid to rest. At first they couldn't find anything, but then a torch seemed to light on its own. That was when they got a proper look at their intruder. Later over corpus amounts of alcohol, he would dearly wish they hadn't.

The stranger was standing in front of the entrance, highlighted by the moonlight. Nearly six feet tall, the warrior's armor was a blinding white with a red face-mask. Carrying a naginata, it made almost no noise descending the stairs towards the assembled soldiers. Looking into the empty eyes of the armor, the soldier felt true fear. Bird country had a number of legends, and this thing was a perfect match for Noroimusha the revenge spirit. Known as a fallen warrior from beyond the gates of hell, Noroimusha only appeared when a strong and honorable being was killed dishonorably with the killers not being brought to justice. Truly not the sort of opponent a bunch of average guards wanted to face in the dead of night.

Gathering his courage, the soldier stood his ground. "Halt! What business do you have in the sacred tomb of the Daimyo at this hour? Remove your helmet and reveal your identity!" Feeling the gaze of the armor upon him, the guard suppressed a whimper. It might just be a silly legend, but this creature was freaking him out!

Apparently coming to a decision, the figure jumped towards them. However, instead of falling to the ground with weapon deployed, the Noroimusha flew into the sky! Dumbfounded, the soldiers watched as the gleaming white armor disappeared into the night. Gulping, he turned to his fellows with a simple question. "Ok, how much sake is it going to take for one of you two to report this to Koumei-sama?"

-----

Meeting the gaze of the Konohamaru Corps, Iruka suppressed a grin. This project had been his dream job as a Genin, and now he got to lead it in defense of one precious to him! Life was going to be so sweet from now on! "Alright, I explained your actions to the Hokage. While he wasn't thrilled by the fact that nearly twenty assorted ninjas had been taken out by Academy Students, he was willing to stop your names from being revealed. However, because of your actions you three will be expected to participate in some community service under my authority." Actually, Jiraiya-sama had been thrilled with the idea and the resulting chaos. Not having to pay for any of it was simply a nice bonus.

Pouting, Konohamaru was man enough to meet his stern gaze. At least he had learned the most important part of pranking; if you get caught, be prepared to face the consequences. "So what do we have to do, Iruka-sensei? Walk some dogs, clean some graffiti, pick up trash; what sort of community service does the old pervert want us to take care of?" Smirking, Iruka gestured for everyone to sit down. It was time for one of his famous lectures.

"Jiraiya-sama has decided to activate a special project from about fifteen years ago. You see right after Orochimaru's defection, there were concerns about security within the village. As the Snake Sannin was fully aware of all of our security details and methods, it was thought that we should adopt new tactics while reinforcing the old ones. One of the ideas at the time was an informal security review, where we had agents test our defenses to determine their reliability against someone who knew they were there."

Sniffing, Udon asked, "That sounds like a great idea Iruka-sensei. Why didn't they use it? It could have made the village a lot safer and kept everybody sharp." Noting the disbelief from the other two, Iruka felt some hope for the future. Most of Naruto's class could barely look 'underneath the underneath' this well.

Grimacing, Iruka rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, the Uchiha objected to the idea. They saw the review as a threat and insult to their job of policing the population. Since this was one of their heredity obligations, the clan thought any sort of testing as a direct insult to their abilities. To further complicate the situation, not long after this was the Kyuubi attack and the available ninja were tied up with other obligations. Even after the Uchiha massacre, the measure didn't have the needed support or available man power to implement. But since this is part of your community service and you are all Academy Students, we don't have to waste a single resource other than my help. In the end that can even be shrugged off as some extra tutoring which Academy Teachers offer all the time."

Smiling, Moegi chirped, "Wow, this is almost like a real mission! It could actually be a lot of fun! What do you want us to do, sensei?" The evil shine in her eye countered the young kunoichi's happy tone. She clearly saw the opportunities and liked them.

Clearing his throat, Iruka tired to maintain his professional attitude. These kids could never learn that he had begged and pleaded with Jiraiya to take this approach. Some part of him still grumbled at the lost opportunities when the project was originally scrapped. "We are going to plan tactical movements against established targets within the village, then record the responses and effectiveness of the existing counter measures."

Frowning, Konohamaru's eyes widened. "Wait, so we'll be planning out big pranks and seeing how people defend against them? Alright! This is going to be awesome!" Mentally shaking his head, Iruka wondered why the kid only showed his brilliance when causing trouble. He had never been that bad, had he?

Releasing a small chuckle Iruka cracked a grin. "Pretty much; as long as we don't get caught the Hokage's office will not move against us. While you don't get any sort of special credit, Jiraiya-sama will look the other way in terms of complaints and requests to stop the trouble. This isn't going to be easy, and you will have to work hard, but if we do it right nearly seventy percent of the village will be affected. Unless they've really improved security lately, which I kind of doubt. Too many ninja let their hair down while at home." Seeing the shinning eyes of the student's, Iruka knew he had created a pack of monsters. But after remembering the treatment of one of his own favorite ninja, he couldn't quite care that much.

-----

Swinging the practice weapon through his first Kata, Naruto attempted to remain focused. With the somewhat limited space beneath the palace, everybody had to coordinate their activities carefully. So when it was time for him to practice his Naginata techniques, Hinata was forced to use the same room to work on her Juken forms. Normally that would be no problem, but with the limited area of the training hall it made him all the more aware of her presence. The effect was only enhanced by the decision to keep her coat off to work out.

Finishing his Kata, the hyperactive ninja bowed and moved to return the weapon to the wall. With her efforts to test Koumei's loyalty, Toki-hime had been too busy to spar with him regularly. However, true to her promise she had shown him the first three forms to practice as well as numerous exercises to use to adapt to the weapon. After nearly two weeks of no sparring though, he was starting to get bored. She had checked in on him to insure his form was correct, but normally the poor woman would spend her days asleep. Whatever plan she was using had to be extremely draining. That didn't keep him from pouting a bit.

Getting a drink of water, Naruto took a moment to admire Hinata's form. Ever since the Land of Vegetables, the normally shy girl had really begun to focus. Before, they had worked primarily on medical techniques, applications, and control. But now she was making an effort to push herself as an offensive fighter as well. Not only was her technique better, but the way that those clothes clung to her form was very distracting. Slapping himself on the forehead, Naruto decided to ask Tsunade-baa-chan for a checkup. Clearly, Ero-sennin was a carrier of an infectious disease or something.

Ever since his extra seals were removed, Naruto couldn't deny that he had been noticing more about girls than before. Between training, constant close contact, and odd gestures here and there, the blonde kept tracking things he had previously ignored. Hugs always left him blushing, and clothing became his new obsession. After all, if Hinata was hiding THAT under a simple coat, kami knew what other tricks the rest of the female race was using! It was getting so bad that he was beginning to contemplate moving to a monastery or something! How could a royal pervert be a good Hokage? He'd never be able to live it down!

Seeing Hinata begin to cool down, Naruto made a snap decision. "Hey, Hinata-chan? You want to spar a bit?" Blinking, quiet girl began to blush, which for some ungodly reason made his heart beat faster in response. What was with him?

"A..Are you sure, Naruto-kun? I mean, Tsunade-sensei hasn't cleared you for that sort of training unsupervised yet. We could get into trouble." Despite Hinata's protests, Naruto noticed her tensing muscles and hidden smile. Clearly the girl also wanted a challenge, but was afraid of hurting him.

Smiling brightly, Naruto waved off her concerns. "Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan! All I've been doing lately is muscle exercises to build up my coordination. If I don't spar soon, I'll never get any better! No weapons, ninjutsu or chakra, ok? This can be a straight taijutsu match, which will keep things safer." Nodding her acceptance, yet still slightly hesitant, Hinata got into her ready stance. Grinning, Naruto faced off before her.

He had hoped it would be one of those epic moments where he showed off his incredible ninja skills. Instead, it was almost like a spanking. Hinata was so fast, that his best hits didn't even come close to touching her. Every counter was blocked, and technique dodged with the greatest of ease. Although it was clear that she didn't want to hurt him, the normally shy Hyuga didn't hold back much. It was almost like she had something to prove to him. Whatever it was, the hyperactive ninja found himself on his back within twenty minutes. The craziest thing was, during the entire fight she hadn't used the freaking Byakugan once!

Staring at the ceiling for a moment, Naruto began to laugh before pushing himself to his feet. "How the hell could you think you were weak with kick ass moves like that? Hinata-chan, you're really strong! I know that if you spar with me some more, I'll be an even more awesome ninja in no time!" That sort of training was always awesome!

Smiling weakly, the shy girl nodded. "I would be happy to spar with you Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll be winning in no time, once you're feeling better." Seeing the honest belief in his skills reflected in her eyes, Naruto also found himself blushing. She really was too nice.

That was the moment when things changed. The blonde ninja had always spoken his mind without fear of consequence. Hanging around girls who could cause huge amounts of pain had helped somewhat, but it was still slow going. However, in that moment of weakness, he blurted out the first thought in his head. "Thanks a lot, Hinata-chan! The only thing better would be if I could go on a date with a cute girl like you!"

Eyes widening in shock, Naruto couldn't believe he had said that! He might like Hinata-chan, but even a knucklehead like him knew better than to blurt out a request so boldly! What if she laughed, or refused, or got angry with him. He never wanted one of his precious people to hate him. That would be horrible!

"Umm..Naruto-kun? I don't think we'll be able to for a while. But I...but I would be honored to go out with you!" Blinking, Naruto looked at the bowing form of Hyuga Hinata, heir of the Hyuga clan and extremely pretty girl. She looked slightly unsteady, and her face was like a tomato, but he couldn't help but grin. She was just so awesome!

"No problem, Hinata-chan! Once we get a chance, the two of us will go out on a date! It's a promise!" Seeing her smile, Naruto felt great! If the ceilings were a little higher, he would be jumping for joy. Restraining himself, the suddenly shy boy offered the smiling girl some water instead.

-----

Sipping the last of the broth, Sakura sighed in enjoyment. Ever since Kurenai-sensei's thirty-minute lecture about eating habits versus ninja training, she had learned to enjoy the taste of food again. Besides, between all the exercise, chakra drills, and sparing she was doing lately, not an ounce of extra fat seemed to be generated. Of course, the fact that she found ramen comforting lately also helped in other matters. "I can't believe that bastard! Shrugging you off as excess weight while claiming that teamwork was so important! Who does that jerk Kakashi think he is?" As comforting as it was to hear Ino-chan was on her side, thinking about the confrontation still brought up so many confusing feelings.

"Hey, it's alright Ino. Ever since that fight, Shino and Kiba have been working with me non-stop. I think that they don't mind having me around anymore, and I'm learning a lot." Polishing off the large bowl of miso ramen, she shot her friend a small smile. "Things are kind of awkward right now, but I think it's going to be alright. I haven't even seen Kakashi-sensei for weeks now, and Kurenai-sensei isn't giving me much time to mope. I think that they want to get back to hard C-rank missions, since D-ranks have been so competitive lately." Discovering that some of the village elders had been forced into taking the missions in the guise of physical recertification had been a surprise. However, remembering that these people were primarily responsible for Naruto's removal from the village kept things in perspective.

Huffing, Ino took a bite of her own smaller pork ramen. "Yeah, I still cannot believe that Kiba was taking his frustrations out on you! Anyone with a brain could see he had a crush on Hinata, and viewed you as a road block. I mean, everyone knows that she liked Naruto since the Academy and that you didn't do anything to force the two of them together. Who knows? By the time they return, Naruto and Hinata could even be dating!"

Slumping, Sakura ordered another small ramen, chicken flavored this time. "I wonder if I was that bad. I mean, I saw Naruto liking me as a reason that Sasuke wouldn't give me the time of day. Thinking back on it, I wonder what the point of all those beatings really was supposed to be. Was I trying to impress Sasuke or take care of my own frustrations? Now I feel even worse."

Biting her lip, Ino patted her friend on the back. "Hey, all of us looked down on him back in the day. I think the only ones not that surprised with his victory against Kiba were you and Hinata! At least you're learning from your mistakes and growing up a bit. Half the village seems to smear him just because of a few childhood pranks."

Remembering the dark looks and angry mutters that her teammate always seemed to generate in public, Sakura couldn't help but agree. Really, the poor guy was a kid when he did most of that stuff. Some people needed to learn how to let things go. Taking a bite of noodles, the pink-haired kunoichi smiled at her friend before noticing something. "What the hell? Ino, how did you get a cut that bad from house-sitting? Did someone try to attack you?"

Gulping, the blonde suddenly looked very nervous. "Actually, I decided to increase my skills a bit. So I found a senior kunoichi willing to give me some extra training in her free time." Despite her words, Sakura could not help but gaze at the angry red line on her friend's arm. What sort of training was that nasty?

Shaking her head, Sakura was about to ask who had volunteered when a shiver went up her spine. "So this is where you've been hiding Blondie! Come on, we have work to do! If you manage to impress me today, maybe I'll teach you how to kill a man with three paperclips and a screwdriver!" Gaping, Sakura watched the crazy examiner lady from the Chunin exams drag an swearing Ino down the street. The poor girl had barely managed to throw her money down to pay for the ramen!

Looking at the bowl, Sakura called the hostess over. "Ayame, are you sure no one is trying to spike you supplies again? I could have sworn I just saw Ino getting dragged down the street by Mitarashi Anko for training." After all, it was not like Ino was dumb enough to get the Snake lady to train her, right? She had to have more sense than that.

Blinking in response, Ayame scratched her head in confusion. "I'll check for that, Sakura-chan. It must be some powerful stuff though. I thought I saw the same thing!" Nodding, Sakura paid for her meal and headed to the hospital. If someone was spiking Ichiraku's supplies, it was probably a good idea to get tested. Who knew what the long term effects of those sorts of drugs could be?

-----

Moving a stone, Naruto tried to avoid fidgeting while playing the game. Go could be really fun, but he couldn't seem to concentrate today. Toki had been out for hours the night before, and he couldn't help but be worried. She had been pushing herself for weeks ever since developing this crazy plan and it was beginning to show. He was even tempted to release her from her agreed to training, but she wouldn't hear of it. Apparently, her latest habit of beating him into a pulp was extremely relaxing. Besides, the princess had agreed to arrange an alternate political and strategy tutor and had come through in spades.

"Are you sure that you want to make that move, Naruto-san?" Looking across the board, he smiled sheepishly at Sagi-dono the Daimyo of Bird. While he had resumed his duties to the court, Shizune was using her disguise as a healer to control the amount of stress he was exposed to. Hopefully, with another week or two of light duty the poor guy would be fully recovered. Already slightly frail, that poison had done a number on him.

Remembering his manners, Naruto focused on their host. "Sure thing, Sagi-dono! I know you're going to win, but I'm giving it everything I've got! After all, Toki-hime isn't as good as you, and I haven't managed one win against her yet!" Chuckling, Sagi calmly countered the move, regaining control of his territory.

"I know that you are worried about Toki-hime, Naruto-san. It's written all over your face. You should relax though. My sister is much stronger than she looks, as your own bruises can attest to." Scratching his head in embarrassment, Naruto tried to examine the board. Even with a three stone handicap, Sagi was kicking his ass. Sighing, he decided to consolidate his power in the west corner. That would have to do for now.

After protecting his own territory, Naruto decided enough was enough. Sagi was a nice guy, and had been working with him on politics at Toki's request. Although he was a little hesitant at first, the two had eventually hit it off. Apparently, the young ninja s blunt speech was a nice change of pace from the flowery language of the normal advisors. However, Naruto recognized that this was a unique opportunity to learn something that had been bugging him for a while. "Sagi-dono, can I ask you something?" Busy looking over the board, Sagi absently nodded his assent. It wasn't uncommon for them to discuss some point of politics during these games, when both were in a particularly focused state of mind. "What's it like to be Daimyo?"

Seeing the young man's shock, Naruto hurried on before he lost his nerve. "I want to be Hokage when I get older, but I've been thinking lately. All I remember the old Hokage doing is helping people and doing paperwork, but was there more than that? He never talked about his job to me, not in detail anyways. It was always something like, 'Hokage is the strongest in the village' or 'to be Hokage is to have the village be your family'. But then I thought, since you're the Daimyo, you might be able to tell me more about what being that sort of leader requires! Please Sagi-dono; tell me what it's like!"

Blinking at his urgency Sagi-dono leaned back, the game forgotten. "Well I don't know if it's the exact same thing, Naruto-kun. It was assumed that I would eventually take over the position from father, but not quite this soon. Therefore, both my sister and I were trained in politics and general information required to run the country. But I guess that if there was one thing about the position I wasn't expecting, it was the loneliness."

Seeing the younger man's shock, Sagi hastened to explain. "You see, Naruto-kun, as a leader, your first responsibility is to the land itself. Every day I make decisions that make some people happy, while others become sad. I can't be seen as playing favorites, or the nobility will start to form groups to counter their influence. In addition, I have to be especially firm with the leadership due to my relative inexperience because sometimes they will try to maneuver around me. Leading a country leaves you few allies and friends, and you spend most of your time sacrificing for people you never even see."

Smiling, Sagi made a new move. "However, whenever I think of what would happen if I did nothing I am terrified. There are many people in the county that I love and want to protect. But if I was no longer Daimyo, they would be susceptible to attack or danger. So I put up with the downsides to insure the safety of those important to me, and the land my father loved so much." Thinking it over, Naruto grinned before making his next move. The guy might be a civilian, but Sagi-dono was pretty much following his own nindo. That made him someone to respect and aspire to.

Smiling even as he won the game, Sagi fixed him with a look. "Remember this Naruto if you want to be a good leader. Never take power for power, but to deny it to evil. That way you can insure that your corruption is minimized and your reasons for fighting don't get warped."

Removing the stones, Naruto smiled simply. "Then I'll be a good ruler, you'll see! I used to want to be Hokage for acknowledgement, but I've already gotten that! So, I'll just have to become the Hokage to keep those precious to me like Hinata-chan, Tsunade-baa-chan, Shizune-nee-chan and everybody else safe and sound!" Nodding, he once again reaffirmed his vow. It didn't matter if he was sealed, spit on or degraded; Konoha held those important to him, and he would fight for them!

Smiling almost wistfully, Sagi looked at him with sad eyes. "That is a noble goal but remember a leader cannot fight for only the few. It may be that you'll send one of those important to you to their death to insure the safety of Konoha. Luckily, that's not the sort of decision you will be responsible in dealing with for some time." Feeling his smile become forced at the thought of an innocent baby thrown away for the sanctity of his ungrateful village, Naruto reset the board.

-----

Returning home as a group after training, Shino was in a contemplative mood. Observing his teammates, the bug using ninja felt himself relax for the first time in weeks. Finally Kiba was beginning to warm to Sakura, preserving their team dynamic. The girl might not have Hinata's skills, but her own potential made up for that. While not particularly physically strong, Sakura's mind was leagues ahead of anyone of their generation besides Shikamaru. Once her training was at an acceptable level, Team Eight could again protect the village to the best of their ability. Even he was starting to miss the challenge of a good C-rank mission.

While somewhat flighty on the surface, Sakura was really starting to change. Between their training together and apart, he would estimate that the team was working at nearly seventy percent their previous efficiency. While she would never truly take Hinata's place, the slight girl was making impressive progress in her own right. As long as Kiba could keep himself under control, they might even find themselves as friends. By the mother's hive it was clear that he needed as many as he could get. While he had never formed a proper opinion of the girl before working with her, Shino had to admit that she was exceeding all of his expectations.

Approaching the Inuzuka compound, the bug user noticed the presence of Inuzuka Tsume. This was unusual enough to catch his attention because, other than a small party after their team was originally confirmed, the older woman hadn't shown much personal interest in their activities before. Nudging his absent minded teammate, Shino was rewarded by his startled curse. "Mom? What're you doing out here? There isn't a clan meeting or something I didn't know about is there?"

Snorting, the elder ninja rolled her eyes. "Nah it's nothing like that pup. I'm just waiting to talk with Hana about some clan business. She does have her responsibilities after all." While casually stated, there was an edge in her voice that made Shino scowl. Something was up...ah, this could get awkward.

Sakura had been waiting in the background, clearly still uncomfortable with certain elements of their team dynamic. However, Shino was nothing if not observant. He could almost catch the moment when the young girl went completely white. "Oh...Kiba, Shino I'll see you tomorrow ok? But, I've got to go!" Watching her retreating form, Shino noted the tears in the air. Clearly, Sakura had been paying attention to the local gossip if she could determine the truth behind Tsume-san's statement so quickly.

Kiba was not quite so gifted. "Man, what was her problem? I even took a bath this morning and everything." Twitching, Shino turned to his teammate in irritation. How dense could one ninja be?

Adjusting his glasses, Shino fixed his teammate with a look. "Kiba, there is only one major clan responsibility being talked about concerning young, unattached females at the moment. Sakura probably realized that your sister was a candidate for the Uchiha breeding program and didn't know how to respond." It was still a very sensitive topic after all. The poor girl would barely talk about her old team and never about Sasuke.

Eyes widening, Kiba growled. "I know how she feels. The thought of that traitor's offspring getting forced on sis is pissing me off too." Of course, this was the point that Tsume decided to interrupt the budding political dialogue with a fist to the head. Kiba sunk to his knees in pain.

Fixing her son with a look, Tsume cracked her knuckles without pity. "Watch your tone, pup. Your sister is giving me enough grief about this, so I don't need any shit from you. No matter how distasteful you might find it, we protect Konoha and this is necessary for that." Kiba was too busy nursing a sizable lump to retort.

Checking on his friend's condition, Shino felt something deep within him stir. While he had been out of the village for the Sasuke retrieval mission, the bug user had heard about all of the details from Kiba. He had visited his fellow Genin in the hospital, and had even seen the extent of Naruto's injuries while he was resting. Thinking about all that effort and those wounds over a single kekkei genkai struck him as erroneous. Although mostly a passive figure, he really couldn't keep his peace this time.

Focusing on the Inuzuka clan head, Shino forced his tone to remain even. "I believe that I agree with Hana-san and Kiba. It is only logical to disassociate with the remnants of a clan who have turned into traitors. Natural selection teaches us that some traits simply die out in their own time. Perhaps the gift of Sharingan has reached its evolutionary limit." Noting his teammates smirk, Shino could not even bring himself to care of the casual insult. Uchiha's had done nothing but hurt his comrades. They wouldn't get any quarter from him.

Tsume was not amused. "Watch yourself kid. You might be Kiba's friend but there are limits. I'll admit the clan turned sour, but that's not the result of the Sharingan. Those idiots got so caught up in their own superiority, that they thought themselves better than everybody else. If anyone tired that in my family, I'd beat them within an inch of their lives. But our village is weakened as it is, and the Inuzuka will do any duty to preserve their home. So if Hana has to pop out a couple of Sharingan-using pups, then so be it. They're not going to become weapons, or tools of Konoha. They're going to be the beginning of a new and proper clan of defenders, who happen to have an extra ace in the hole." Sniffing in distain, Tsume grabbed Kiba by the scruff of the neck and dragged him inside.

Shino stared at the clan compound for a long time after that. Some of Tsume's argument was surprisingly logical; she was not seeking glory or honor by generating more Uchiha children. The woman was simply trying to produce a new generation of ninjas who would have the needed skills to better protect their families. On the face of things, it was a perfectly simple and effective tactic for the continued survival of the village.

_Yet if this is logical, why does it feel so wrong?_

-----

Meditating, Head Strategist Koumei of the Land of Birds reflected upon the issues plaguing his country. With the death of both the previous Daimyo and the princess, it was clear that the royal family was on the decline. Worried about the stability of his beloved country, the advisor had made plans to counter the efforts of the Head Advisor Mousou and preserve a just rule. He had seen the tricks and parlor tricks that old man had used, and couldn't help but believe that it was simply a plot. He might bare no grudge against the young prince, but his home had to come first.

However, in the weeks since the reopening of the court, evil rumors seemed to plague the land. A mysterious figure had been sighted several times, stirring up stories and superstition among the populace. All attempts to capture the thing were met with failure, and it was beginning to make him feel incompetent. The only reassuring thing was the lack of evidence linking Mousou to the being, and his own confusion and concern about the figure. Unfortunately, Sagi-dono had rejected the suggestion that they send for ninja, stating that he wanted to keep this an internal matter. In the end though, that simply applied more pressure to his own shoulders.

Given the movements of this 'Noroimusha,' he was almost starting to believe that this might really be an evil spirit. No one could track it, find it or capture it. Between both his own forces and Mousou's, everyone was majorly spooked. So in theory, their previous Daimyo might truly be the ghost. That, however, opened several doors that he could not help but wonder about. Could the Daimyo's death have been foul play? If so, who was the traitor and for what reason? There were so many questions and so little time.

Hearing a small disturbance, Koumei opened his eyes only to stare in shock. His window was thrown wide open, allowing the moons faint light to wash out his vision. Before him was the demonic soldier everyone was talking about, standing as real as life. The fact that it stood between him and his sword was acknowledged in some corner of the poor man's brain. But the thing that caught his attention was not the evil mask or shinning blades, but the naginata stance it held. That same stance was one he was very familiar with and identified the assailant as easily as a fingerprint. But why would the spirit of the princess appear to kill him?

The poor girl was a dutiful child and loved by a good portion of the populace. For her spirit to be here, seeking his head could only be due to some sort of betrayal on his part. Wincing, he began to think about the effects that his actions might have had on the poor girl. Contesting her brother's position, claiming he was unfit for the job, and calling into question the ability of the royal family could have put some extra pressure on the child. What if his attempts at working on the big pictures had weakened the princess to the point her sickness and death was a foregone conclusion? Instead of fighting for his own position, maybe he should have focused on working with the crown to insure the countries peace.

Feeling ashamed, Koumei bowed his head. "If taking my life will grant you peace, Toki-dono than I welcome death. My first loyalty has always been to the country, and your death in no way supports that. Deliver your punishment and rest in peace. All I ask for it that you guide your brother to lead as we both know he can." Seeing the weapon rise beyond his vision, Koumei closed his eyes in acceptance. To his surprise, that final moment never came.

Lifting its helmet, the figure of Noroimusha was indeed revealed as the late princess Toki. However, as evidenced by her light sheen of sweat and notable breathing, Koumei was forced to conclude that the princess before him was the living article! "Well, I'm convinced of your allegiance now Koumei-sama. As the representative of my esteemed brother, Sagi-dono the Daimyo of Bird, I come before you today seeking aid. A traitor has attempted to kill the royal family, and we seek an ally that can be counted on. Join your mind with ours, and the Land of Birds will be clear of this disgusting infection." Shocked beyond recognition, the advisor could do nothing but nod in agreement. Such a test was worthy of praise, and put his concerns about the crown to rest.

-----

Swallowing her pride Hana approached the Hokage's office, every step focused and resolute. The fight that morning had been painful, showing her a side to Inuzuka Tsume that hadn't been apparent before. While she might love her mother, it was very hard to respect the woman after being ordered to carry a child for the good of the village. In Hana's eyes there was a difference between being loyal and being obsessed, and the Sharingan issue had crossed that line irrevocably. She didn't want to hurt her pack, but the young kunoichi could never make such a choice. So now it was time to see if she had the goods to convince the old pervert.

Entering the office, she raised a delicate eyebrow. While Jiraiya had a significant reputation, there were no traces of the man's perversions. With a nose a hundred times stronger than average, she could tell in an instant that the old pervert hadn't indulged in real hanky-panky within the office yet. Snorting, she imagined Tsunade-sama's reaction to such an action, and felt a little less awe in the Toad Sage's restraint. "Jiraiya-sama, I have come to ask for a small favor."

Raising an eyebrow, the Toad Sage gestured for her to continue while checking her out. Hana really wasn't in a position to object at this point. "I have reached an impasse with my family over the issue of the Uchiha breeding program. I was hoping that you would grant me a mission that would be suitably long term?" in other words, hook me up like that little Yamanaka ditz already!

Sighing, the Hokage regent turned away. "Sorry Hana-chan, but your request is denied." The dog user nearly felt her jaw unhinge. Jiraiya, the biggest pervert in the Elemental Countries had just turned down a pretty girl! The world must be coming to an end.

Her expression must have been too obvious for the Hokage regent flashed a smirk. "What, did you think that I wouldn't know the potential consequences of such an action? Kid, I might like a cutie as much as the next guy, but I sure as hell am not going to piss off the Inuzuka! The only reason that I let Ino-chan get away with it was the horrible actions of the Yamanaka clan! Tell me, why I should support your violation and rejection of a law I was a part of crafting?"

Narrowing her eyes dangerously, Hana snapped her fingers. Suddenly, three growling dogs were aimed at the sweating pervert. "You'll come up with something because the triplets have really good aim and I don't think the world needs any more of you running around." He might be a Sannin, but she was desperate enough to try it. At least generations of women would sing her praises.

Gulping, Jiraiya tried to remain intimidating while stinking of raw fear. "Maybe we can work on a compromise?" Narrowing her eyes, Hana tapped her foot impatiently. There had better be a way to fix this, because she sure as hell wasn't going to breed for a clan of traitors! Rubbing his eyes, Jiraiya shot her a stupid grin. "I've got it! Tsunade can handle a lot of danger, but you can never have too much support in the field! I'm going to establish a small group of ninja with secondary standing orders to attach to her team to provide backup as needed. Of course, we cannot exactly send you out to look for them, but if opportunity strikes while you're out of the village, then who am I to stand in the way of fate? However, you're the one who has to explain that to Tsunade-hime."

Thinking over her options, Hana took a thinking pose. She could try to stay out of the village as much as possible to avoid her mother and the situation. Or, she tries to track down an irritated Sannin and convince her to allow an alliance of convenience guarding the kid who beat her brother in the Chunin Exams. "As you say, Jiraiya-sama. Just give me a mission to get me out of the village tonight and we'll have a deal." Nodding, Jiraiya handed her a scroll, visibly thrilled to still be in one piece. She would simply have to work for the betterment of the gene pool at a later date.

-----

Oh god somebody kill me... X_X

I think that my brain is officially broken right now. Writing and rewriting this chapter has been very draining. Hopefully, a few nights of real sleep will correct the problem. I do hope that it at some level meets your expectations.

I know that it seemed to fast forward a bit here, but I am experimenting with time skipping. I am sure that some people enjoy reading how every punch was thrown or slice was delivered, but frankly, I am just now figuring out a decent exit strategy for Bird. So I can only do my best to move forward. Oh, and I had to throw a little Naruto X Hinata fluff out there. They've earned the break. -_-;;;

Now, as always, I received some really great reviews. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading your comments, and hope that this inspires many more. The fact that they have been more or less positive brings a tear to my eye. I can only strive to push forward as much as possible and give you a fun ride :) I do hope that you enjoyed Iruka's little surprise. I know that I did.

For those of you that asked...I am saving Kakashi's punishments for a special occasion ***evil grin***

Now, before I go off on a huge number of tangents, I thought I should take a moment to proactively address an issue presented here. I am, of course talking about Inuzuka Tsume.

I have seen two major presentations of this character within Fanfiction.

On one hand, you have the 'Saint Tsume'. In these depictions, Tsume is a poor victim of politics who wanted to adopt Naruto only to be blocked by the evil council. Either she supports his continued survival, helps him train, or at some point seduces him for herself or her daughter.

On the other hand, you have 'The Evil Bitch of Konoha'. Here, she tells Kiba to avoid the brat, tires to kill him or have him killed, and spits on the ground as he walks by. When he becomes super powered, she is one of his first victims.

I am not trying to take either path in this story. As in the cannon, this Tsume takes a fairly neutral view of Naruto. She doesn't try to kill him, but she doesn't offer any help. In fact, the Uchiha Breeding Program has nothing to do with messing with Naruto. She just feels that it would be in the clans best interests. I know that I have made her somewhat caustic, but remember that there are like three times that she is featured in cannon. Twice when she is beating up foreign ninjas, and once beating up Kiba because he isn't taking his training seriously. I view her as a strong woman who wants her children to be strong. That way, they have a better chance of coming back. That doesn't mean that she won't slap them around to make that happen.

Now, in the next chapter I have only one thing to say. "BEHOLD THE POWER OF YOUTH!"


	18. Youthful Spirit

No I don't own Naruto. I would have had him defect to Spring Country, and in fact still might do that.

Chapter Seventeen: Youthful Spirit

Putting her naginata on the floor, Toki knelt to face Koumei. "I apologize for the subterfuge, Koumei-sama. However when someone tried to kill my brother, the first duty that I saw was to insure his safety. Despite your loyalty to the country, there was some concern that you might use this as an opportunity to make your own play for leadership. Since you've passed my test, I have no problems asking for your advice on this matter." Looking at the shocked expression on the councilors face, it was all the young princess could do not to giggle. Weeks of effort had finally paid off, and this whole charade could be put to an end!

Shaking his head, the councilor was clearly trying to regain his bearings. "I don't understand. I can guess that you faked your own death after the murder attempt, but why do you trust me now? Why did you construct this persona and spread terror among the populace? None of it makes any sense!"

Smiling at his confusion, the princess chuckled lightly. "My brother also thought that the plan was a little convoluted, but I knew that the only way to tell the true nature of a man was when they were faced with death. Convincing the others of this was not exactly a walk in the park." Indeed, thinking back on it the fight had been something of a battle of wills. It was a good thing that she did not like to play fair.

_"Toki-dono! You can't put yourself in such danger! We have one of the strongest ninja in the world right here! She could handle this sort of interrogation without issue!" Chishima had looked distraught at that moment. Toki knew that he cared for her, and she saw him as another brother. But she couldn't allow anyone's personal feelings interfere with what was best for her country._

_Gathering her courage, the princess calmly met their disbelieving gazes. Without support, Toki did not see how her plan could succeed. "Chishima-kun, Sagi-nee-sama please let me do this. While I have no doubts of Tsunade-sama's competence, we should not rely on her to solve all of our problems! If I cannot guard my country or my family without the help of foreign ninja, then maybe Koumei deserves to rule!"_

_Frowning at her, Sagi shook his head. "I know that you want to protect me, but I don't think that we need to worry about the Konoha group's intentions . They have their own agenda, and taking over our country does not fit in it. From what Chishima is saying, they are simply looking for places that are out of the way to heal this Uzumaki Naruto. It sounds like there is some serious political trouble involving the boy, and the Hokage is using this as a chance to undermine her opponents within the village. Asking for their help wouldn't really disadvantage us that much in the long run."_

_Shaking her head, she tried to make them understand. "I'm not saying that the group lacks honor, but the very fact that we don't fit into their agenda is the problem! Using Tsunade-sama's apprentices to fight is fine but if we rely solely on them, it undermines your authority once they leave! I know the local legends well enough to pull off the character of Noroimusha, and have the skills needed not to get caught. Between my weapons training and knowledge of the secret passages, there is very little danger of discovery. The important thing is to regain the control of our people!"_

_Standing, the princess began to pace in anger. "We need to construct a situation where Koumei's loyalty can be tested. By appearing as an evil spirit, he will be faced with the consequences of his own actions or inactions. If he tries to defend himself with hollow words, I can strike him down to remove an obstacle. However, if he recognizes me, and still accepts his fate, than any regret will be genuine and we can count on his true loyalty. The man is smart enough to understand the reasoning behind such a test, and shouldn't hold it against us. Our worst case scenario will simply be to rely on the Konoha ninja to take care of Mousou."_

_Sighing, Sagi looked away. "I don't like this sister. Not only will you be placed in danger, but you might have to take a life. I never wanted something like that for you. This should be my responsibility, not yours."_

_Shaking her head, she drew the weakened figure into a hug. "Brother, I will do anything I need to in order to protect you and this country. Please let me do this for both of us, ok?" Nodding his reluctant agreement, the Daimyo signaled Chishima to let the Hokage in to finalize their negotiations. The next month would be busy indeed._

Bringing herself to the present, Toki explained the situation. "Now that I know that we can trust you, I am going to explain our plan. We need to neutralize Mousou and his ninja before too much time passes. You are to come to the palace with a platoon of guards tomorrow, and after they're in place we'll summon him before my brother. That man will probably bring some of his own forces, but by setting up this trap, we should be able to take care of him. The important thing is to insure that the country works as one. The concern and strife over the last few weeks has divided our comrades, and a show of unified force is the best way to heal the breech."

Frowning, Koumei shook his head. "While I applaud your creativity, I have doubts concerning our chances against Mousou in a pitched battle. Although the country's militia outnumbers his forces at least three to one, a ninja rarely fights fair. It is likely that he suspects something by now with the failure of his poisoning scheme. So if you simply call him like that, it is likely that he will bring his entire force."

Smiling wickedly, Toki nodded with a chuckle. "That is exactly my plan. Such a tempting target will force Mousou to bring his entire guard, in hopes of a conclusive victory. But we have a secret weapon of our own that he would never suspect. Once he initiates an attack, it will be deployed and wipe the bastard out in minutes!"

Raising an eyebrow, the tactician was clearly impressed. At least she hoped so. This strategy had taken a lot of time and effort in those rooms under the palace. "What sort of weapon could be that effective? Surely I would have heard about any specialized purchases, and no dispatches have been made to the ninja villages. How can you be so sure of victory?"

Shaking her head, Toki gave him a quick wink. "Oh, don't worry about that. The important thing is to preserve the solidarity of the country. Once he starts to play dirty, have your men stand back and allow the enemy to be mowed down. Now I need to return and explain things to my brother. See you tomorrow, and remember your instructions."

Nodding his agreement, the man watched as his princess reapplied her mask. As she left, the man bowed with a humbled gaze. "Be safe, my lady. If we survive the week, I swear to follow you to the end of days." However, she was already gone.

-----

Passing through the hospital building's front door, Jiraiya frowned in exhaustion. Once he had really started picking apart the Hyuga and ROOT seals, his head had begun to hurt. The security seal on the ROOT trainees was much more complex and compact than he thought, not to mention painful. While the recipients could still write down key information concerning the organization, even thinking too hard on the subject would induce spasms of pain. Cutting the tongue out wouldn't work either, since there was a security feature that released a small vial of poison if a constant flow of blood was not present in the organ. Honestly, countering the thing was possible, but the very mechanisms involved were going to be monstrously difficult.

The really fun thing, though, was that several elements of the ROOT security seal seemed to be modeled after the defenses within the Caged Bird Seal! While the Hyuga seal appeared to be simple, its location was not just a fashion statement. A constant stream of electrical pulses from close contact to the brain maintained the seals stability. If it was tampered with in any overt way, an electrical overload would be triggered, inducing a brain aneurism and concluding in death. Disconnecting that circuit was a delicate procedure, and could only be successful if he knew exactly where the connections were located. Luckily, he had just the person to chat with about that. Hopefully, after he managed to deal with the Caged Bird Seal, the ROOT one would be that much easier.

Nodding to the ANBU guard, Jiraiya entered the room of Hyuga Shinji. The once proud elder was strapped to the bed, his hands chained with chakra-suppressor gauntlets. Despite the sheet covering the man, Jiraiya could see the outline of a diaper around the midsection. Apparently, the proper medication had taken care of at least one uptight Hyuga.

Looking at the Toad Sage with his faded white eyes, Shinji snarled in rage. "Jiraiya you oaf! Release me at once! I demand to be returned to my clan domicile and our own healers!" Staring at the batty old man, Jiraiya suppressed the urge to giggle. This fool had no idea who he was dealing with.

Taking a seat, Jiraiya smirked at the captive. "Now, now Shinji-kun you might want to be a bit more polite. After all, Tsunade-hime did name me her regent. So why don't you settle down, and we can talk like adults." Of course, things went downhill from there.

Gaping at casual tone of voice, Shinji barely gathered the fortitude to spit in his face. "Don't speak to me like an equal, you worthless vagabond! You can take your questions back to that blonde whore and stuff them down her throat! What right did she have to force such indignity upon me! I am the Hyuga Seal Master, not some pathetic Chunin for her to dictate terms to!"

Narrowing his eyes, Jiraiya lowered his face to meet the old man's gaze evenly. "Listen here you old fool. Tsunade is the worlds premiere medical ninja, and an authority beyond anything that your own healers could ever hope to manage. But even if she didn't label you as a senile old security risk to the village, that little tirade would have convinced me. You sealed a civilian, and almost destabilized the prison of the Kyuubi! You're lucky to be labeled insane, because otherwise I would have had your head for treason!"

Snorting, the Hyuga refused to be cowed. "Destabilizing the prison of the Kyuubi? Please, don't make me laugh! Minato-sama's construct was a piece of art. One little addition from my hand couldn't have released the beast. In fact, my efforts insured a way to take care of that monster once and for all! The village should be down on its knees in thanks for my foresight!"

Cracking his knuckles, Jiraiya felt his good mood slip away. This arrogant piece of trash should be thankful his knowledge was useful. Otherwise, Tsunade or no, he would have taken some steps to rectify Shinji's breathing problems. "Not a bad argument, if not for the fact that a lot of other ninjas tired the same thing. But that's neither here nor there because you and I have some work to do."

Pulling out some sketches, a pen, and a feather, the Toad Sage loomed over the captive Hyuga. "You are going to tell me everything that you know about the Caged Bird Seal, its application, and its weaknesses. Otherwise, I'm going to get rather unpleasant." Gulping, the Hyuga elder stared back defiantly. Smirking, Jiraiya got to work. He might not be as good as Orochimaru, but he could get the information eventually. It was just going to take some time.

-----

The ninja Houki, known to the populace as the simple monk Mousou, meditated upon current events. His careful plan to remove the Daimyo appeared to have failed, killing his sister instead. While not a complete loss, Toki's death was unplanned and thus not prepared for. The masses could whine and worry about signs until they were blue in the face. He needed the Daimyo dead and Koumei disgraced, with no more irritating interruptions.

The major issue was the nature of the healer. Where did she come from? How strong was she really? But most importantly, was the question of the misdiagnosis. Was this hick from Vegetable simply that stupid, or was the fact poison was used being deliberately covered up? With so many players still on the board, it was nearly impossible to plan for contingencies properly! How irritating could you get?

While Houki might give off the image of a wise and benevolent leader, there was a level of desperation there. His clan had been wandering for years, and finally had a chance at a proper home. All these questions were making him nervous and a nervous ninja made mistakes. If they were going to get anywhere, some actions had to be taken! As much as he wanted to discover the person behind this Noroimusha character, things simply had to proceed. Further procrastination at this time would accomplish nothing except weakening his position.

Watching the setting sun, the wandering ninja decided that it was time for a simple master stroke. All he had to do was hire some of the more disgruntled soldiers of the militia and give them the information needed to kill the Daimyo. No matter what Koumei might wish to believe, every army had members willing to do anything to get ahead. With certain key codes and some careful coordination, he could have his own forces eliminate the traitors quickly enough so that they would not reveal his place in the plot. With all the additional concerns looking for an outlet, all he needed were a few carefully worded statements to his proxies in the court and Koumei would fall. It might be painfully crude, but anything more advanced had a nasty chance of falling apart. If the tension was simply allowed to build for another week or two, he could have the court begging him to take over.

Turning his head, he blinked at the sudden noise of footsteps. "Who goes there?" Mumbling a small greeting, a royal messenger presented himself. Accepting the scroll, Houki struggled to maintain Mousou's smile as the young man left. Breaking the seal, he was surprised by the royal summons. There hadn't been anything serious enough in the court to require a private audience. What was Sagi-dono up to?

Frowning, the wandering ninja felt that unease in his gut. These feelings were not foolproof, but listening to his instincts had kept both himself and his clan alive where others would have fallen. If this was simply a small piece of intrigue, he shouldn't be worried. But if that little brat had caught on and planned a trap, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared, now would it?

Snapping his fingers, the ninja turned to his freshly arrived troops. "I have been summoned to the palace with no warning. I might just be overreacting, but I believe better safe than sorry. Hokushin and Nagare will accompany me in the open, while the rest of you will remain hidden. Best case scenario, I will simply be seen as taking proper precautions during a time of unrest. Worst case has us fighting an unknown force, so be on guard! Until then, wait for orders before acting. It wouldn't do to tip our hand to quickly, now would it?" Bowing in subservience, all the ninja besides his two lieutenants vanished. If the little boy thought he could try anything, wouldn't he be in for a rude surprise?

-----

Breathing deeply, Tenten focused her gaze on the stationary target. Forcing herself to stand, the young kunoichi started to dodge imaginary opponents, avoiding both shadow strikes and the scattered weaponry across the forest floor. Finally at the moment where her shot was perfect, she unleashed the kunai at full strength. Since she was the most accurate ninja in the Genin ranks, it should come to no surprise that the projectile pierced the target perfectly. The unusual thing was the weapon sticking up to its hilt. If the opponent had been blood and flesh, the entire clearing would have been awash in gore with that kind of shot. The fact that she had been releasing such hits for over two hours wouldn't have helped either.

Tenten was an orphan with a dream. Every night since she was a little girl, stories of ninja had inspired her. The idea of fighting and demonstrating her strength with personal flair and focus seduced her young mind. Anyone without a family learned early that you had to make your own mark in the world, and being a ninja was one such path available to her. With her limited options and focused drive, the young girl had no trouble making the choice to become the greatest kunoichi of her generation. But in all these searches of self discovery, the one figure that focused her attention more than any other was Tsunade of the Sannin. The blonde was an idol to all the little kunoichi of Konoha, and had actually returned to the village. She could have gotten her missions from the hands of the Slug Princess herself!

Leaning against a tree, the young woman scowled. Looking around, she began to vent to the trees. They wouldn't laugh at her frustration. "Of course it wasn't going to be that easy! The best moment of my life came, and before I could even meet my idol she's gone again! If it wasn't for that stupid Uchiha and those idiots hurting that poor shorty from the Exams, I could be getting an autograph from the woman right now! God damn it!" Feeling suitably satisfied with her outburst, she began to work on moping. It wasn't something that the weapons mistress was particularly good at, but she had been getting a lot of practice lately.

There was so much to be angry over, and simply no one for her to turn to. Her team was too involved in the situation, and most of her friends from the Academy had moved on after failing their last exam. Sure Iruka-sensei or those brats Ino and Sakura might have helped, but none were quite objective enough. She was an orphan and a girl, and that brought with it a number of concerns that were difficult to deal with. What she wouldn't give for a nice and simple fight with some bandits right about now!

Hearing about Naruto's situation inspired a bit of fear in the young woman. Despite his last name, Naruto was still an independent orphan. Normally the village encouraged its orphans as an easy source of ninja recruits, not only for their motivation but their expendability. However, over some obscure slight several prominent figures within Konoha had intentionally limited his potential to their ideals. Since it was so successful, what was to keep those same figures from experimenting on other children? What if she woke up one day as a play thing, all chakra and skills stolen by someone's whim? It was a terrifying prospect.

Being alone might give you independence, but it left you without protection. Unless you found a personal sponsor or some hidden inheritance, most of the fresh ninja recruits had to use their wits to survive. She had picked weapons not only out of ability, but their availability. So many were simply wasted on training fields it was criminal. But hearing about the different ways that Naruto had his potential stolen made Tenten wonder how easy her own disappearance would be. Besides her teammates, who would be left to mourn her loss? It's not like she could check to see if she was already sealed. The resident Seal Master also happened to be the resident town pervert. She would probably have to wear a bikini to get anything done!

On a more childish level, the fact that Neji's opponent still won with such limitations stung a bit. She had put countless hours into helping him master the Kaiten, and his defeat had felt somewhat personal. But finding out that the opponent who won had been effectively fighting with two arms and a leg tied behind his back the whole time was even worse. Could the Hyuga genius really be that weak? Or was Naruto truly that strong? No wonder Tsunade-sama decided to train him!

Feeling her energy return somewhat, Tenten started the difficult task of retrieving her arsenal. Neji and Lee would be leaving the hospital soon, and she had to make sure everything was in order before returning to missions. Once a few bands of bandits were wiped out, most of her confusion would probably be cleared up in no time. Nothing like the threat of death to get the blood pumping! Maybe she would get so high on adrenaline that she could work up the courage to bring her concerns to Gai-sensei? Despite his weirdness, she did trust the man. Well, as long as he kept his spandex as far away from her as possible.

-----

Houki's first warning that something was wrong had been the unexpected summons to the palace. The second such warning happened to be their directions towards the main courtyard as opposed to the normal reception area. Signaling his lieutenants, he began to gather his strength. Sometimes the young were truly so easy to read. Wouldn't the little boy be surprised when his own blood flowed on the ground?

Entering the courtyard, the hidden ninja raised an eyebrow at the welcoming committee. Out front on a raised dais was Sagi-dono, but flanking him were Koumei and Chishima. Given the feelings of hostility between the represented groups lately, nothing good could come from such a united front; at least for him. Keeping his face impassive, Houki again signaled his lieutenants. This was going to get messy. "Sagi-dono, Koumei-sama and Chishima-kun, what can I do for you this fine evening?"

Maintaining eye contact, Sagi didn't waver in the slightest. "Mousou, you and your compatriots have been found guilty of treason. After reviewing the presented evidence, I have no choice but to order you to disarm and present yourselves for questioning." Watching the company of militia soldiers appear, Houki felt like grinning. Such a pathetic force was nowhere near strong enough to deal with his clan. No matter how enthusiastic the child was such tactics where so easy to read it was pathetic!

Keeping his easy going smile in place, the monk met the accusation without fear. "I'm sorry your highness, but what charges would those be? As far as I am aware, I have done nothing wrong." At least, nothing he was willing to admit to. Better to see what the enemy knew before making any movements.

Clearing his throat, Koumei answered with a glare. "Building an independent military force for personal use, subverting elements of the royal court, and suspected poisoning of the royal family. Each charge is enough to ask for at least ten years of imprisonment, but together it's enough to insure your death." Blinking, Houki indulged in a smirk. These insects had done their homework at least. He had avoided other actions such as embezzlement to stay under the radar and build up his reputation. But those accomplishments that were successful did have significant jail time attached. Oh well, it was about time to shed this facade anyways.

Observing the enemy group in front of him, the ninja had to resist a snort. For such an able tactician, Koumei was still so far behind the times. This sort of tactic only worked if you were facing a weaker foe. Moving swiftly, Houki threw an exploding tag at the militia. That should disorganize them enough to insure victory. Of course, he wasn't expecting a cloaked figure from deflecting the projectile. Narrowing his eyes, the ninja frowned. What was that blasted healer doing here?

He wasn't given a lot of time to consider the issue. Just as the soldiers formed ranks around the royal personage, and the healer joined the group on the platform, another figure made itself known. Blinking at the speed of the assault, the hidden ninja stared down the length of the naginata pointed at his nose. The figure was clearly that Noroimusha the peasantry was babbling about. Was this another level to the trap? Clearly he had been underestimating them. It was a mistake that both he and his forces could no longer afford.

-----

Staring out the window, Neji tried to make sense of the world. For years he had lived in the darkness of his own hatred, feeling nothing but contempt for those around him. His team was capable, but they were not family or friends. He had needed that superiority in order to survive and have something to fight for. No matter whom he hurt with his words or his skills, Neji could rely upon those skills to insure his purpose and existence was not forgotten. His strength could only reinforce the fate he was given. It was the greatest of ironies that he was released from that horrible solitude by a ninja considered to be weakest among his generation. He was a savant who found the strength to change fate through sheer stubbornness. Uzumaki Naruto was truly an amazing person, and if things progressed properly, one he would be proud to call Hokage.

Just as he now believed in a future without fate, Neji also believed that the Caged Bird Seal would stay with him for life. Naruto might not go back on his word, but politics and circumstance had felled greater men than him. The young genius truly believed that the seal would end within his lifetime, but thought that it was too late for his own freedom. Even if he became the strongest Hyuga of the village, that brand would remain as a testament to the clans divided and difficult past. After all, what sort of Seal Master would be dumb enough to involve themselves with the politics of the Hyuga clan? Apparently, he really had to stop underestimating that knucklehead.

The discovery of Naruto's mistreatment was a shocking and unwelcome surprise. Finding out that the Hokage was angry enough to censure the clan and unravel its techniques was enough to make his jaw hit the floor. For one little child the Hokage had stripped the Hyuga of their traditional right to protect their bloodline, and insisted that counter techniques be developed without compromise. Jiraiya-sama himself had promised the young genius freedom once the techniques were perfected. Just as he promised, Naruto had changed the Hyuga clan without even needing to become Hokage. If that was what the blonde was capable in his teens, who knew how far the child would grow?

His preoccupation with the loud mouthed blonde had led Neji to reflect on what he knew of the kid. Supposedly stupid and weak, Naruto was the dead last of his graduating Academy class. While his taijutsu was pedestrian and his ninjutsu repetitive, the brat was a natural tactician, capable of making numerous decisions within an instant. Based upon Naruto's natural skills, if the stories about the limitation seals were accurate then Naruto was clearly the strongest Chunin in Konoha. The treatment he had received was a waste of the worst sort, and angered Neji on a primal level. The same could have happened to him if the Main Branch wanted to set an example. It made it so much easier to sympathize with the little brat.

However, one thing stood out. During their match, Naruto stated that he knew what it was like to be controlled by a seal. He scoffed at such a limitation and the Byakugan showed no lie. While it was clear that the blonde was correct in the end, he could not have known of the seals placed upon him. The perpetrators were too good, and his own skills were severely limited or underdeveloped. So what atrocity did the young ninja know of that could be equal to his mistreatment, and did it have something to do with that horrible chakra?

Narrowing his eyes, Neji pondered this association. Naruto might have been a trouble maker, but nothing bad enough for this level of negative attention. Why would the members of so many prominent clans come together to insure his failure? The only things that made him unusual were his hair color and that second chakra. Could that be the source of his pain? But more importantly, now that he was free of those limitations, just how much stronger could be become. Looking at his hand, the young Hyuga was shocked by the shaking limb. He was quivering in excitement, just to prove his own power. Soon, he would be free from this hospital and return to training. When he and Naruto met again he would show his true power, removing once and for all the question of who could become stronger.

Smirking, Neji shook his head. Lee was becoming a bad influence on him. Ah well, in a few more days his team would reform and they could get to work. While not as blood thirsty as his teammates, Neji enjoyed a good scrap as much as the next ninja. Maybe the team could play 'Who took out the most bandits' again. Ever since Tenten was banned from using explosives, the game play had become much more even.

-----

Hearing the explosion above, Naruto suppressed a smirk. That was as good a signal as he was probably going to get. Looking around the underground training area, he felt a moment of sorrow. Even if this place had been kind of a pain, his time in Bird Country was probably one of the most fulfilling points in his life. Not only had he started to learn a weapons style, but he had asked out a cute girl on a date successfully! Sure, Sakura had eaten ramen with him before, but it did not count because she wanted to talk about Sasuke. Once he got some tips from Shizune-nee-chan, he would make sure to give Hinata-chan the best time out ever! Now they just had to take out the trash.

Forming a hand seal, the hyperactive ninja shouted out his signature ninjutsu. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The suppressor seals that Tsunade-baa-chan had placed over a month ago, already strained by their collective efforts, shattered like glass. The huge cloud of un-typed chakra expanded through the soil, providing a massive amount of sensory white noise. Anyone who happened to be good at sensing chakra would be effectively blinded by the intensity of the released power. Those jerks wouldn't know what hit them!

The whole plan hinged on surprise. While the wandering ninja clans didn't have a lot of talent, they did have numbers. The group wasn't really worried about their counteroffensive, but it was only good strategy to weaken them as much as possible. By Hinata's count the group had nearly five times as many ninja available, so the more they could take out the better. Plus, the wandering ninja didn't have a bunch of people to protect while fighting.

Nodding to his clones, the instant legion dispersed, leaving him free to head towards one of the exits underneath the palace. He couldn't simply appear behind the Daimyo without getting in the way. Therefore, the wily blonde simply had to escape through the secondary exit near the Daimyo's tomb and double back. Feeling his blood pumping, Naruto couldn't suppress his excitement. He would show everyone that the future Hokage was not dead weight!

-----

Looking over his favorite student of hard work, Maito Gai felt a nice guy pose coming on. Lee had finally regained full mobility a few days ago, and was ready to stoke his flames of youth. Once Neji was released from the Hospital, his team could reform and grow once again. As proud as he was of their accomplishments, this recent mission had made several weaknesses clear to the Jonin. He would work then into the ground and double their strength, or find himself running to Wind Country on his hands with his leg weights tripled!

Noting the almost mechanical motions of his cute little Lee, Gai frowned. "Lee-kun! What is troubling you my student? You seem to be lacking your normal fires of youth!" Finishing his five hundredth repetition, the younger beast moved into a sitting position. Looking into his sensei's eyes, Gai was shocked by the dull expression there. He had not seen Lee this sorrowful since his last failed C-rank mission!

Looking at the floor, the young man sighed. "I'm sorry, Gai-sensei but I'm so confused right now! Naruto-kun, one of the few people in Konoha whose flames of youth match our own was so mistreated by the village. Ever since leaving the hospital, I have been hearing the worst sorts of rumors concerning him! Naruto-kun is a fine ninja and a good friend, yet the very people he works to protect are thankful for his injuries! Gai-sensei, what does this mean? How could the citizens of the village be so un-youthful?" Seeing the unshed tears in his precious student's eyes, Gai also felt like crying. Truly, what had been done to Naruto-kun was a horrible crime. No wonder Lee-kun was feeling so down!

Joining his student on the ground, Gai sighed. "I agree, Lee-kun. What was done to Naruto-kun was an awful and disgusting thing. It is hard to fight for such people, and maintain you fires of youth. But listen to me my young apprentice, all is not lost! While many seem to be celebrating this mistreatment, just as many are angered by it!" Noting that Lee was still somewhat unresponsive, Gai had a sudden empathy. "But if you are truly worried my precious student, then I won't tell you to fight for such a Konoha. Instead, why don't you fight for Naruto-kun?"

Blinking, Lee looked at him in obvious confusion. "What do you mean Gai-sensei? How can I fight for Naruto-kun? He is traveling the world with Tsunade of the Sannin and her other apprentices. What can I do here in the village?"

Making his 'nice guy pose,' Gai stood with true youthful vigor. "Listen to me Lee. Naruto-kun has fought his whole life for recognition, despite the hate and fear the people forced on him. His true dream was to be Hokage, not for fame or power, but to protect his precious village! Now that the true level of his abuse is known, you should make it your duty to make Konoha a village worthy of his leadership! Don't fight for the bigots or the traitors of today. Fight for the righteousness of the Konoha of tomorrow!"

Sniffing, Lee-kun struck his own 'nice guy pose.' "I will Gai-sensei! Naruto-kun is a good person and deserves more than the Konoha of today! Even if he never becomes Hokage, he shouldn't have to deal with a village of people filled with such un-youthfulness! If I cannot make Konoha the village that it should be, I will run around the Fire Country five hundred times!"

Smiling at his students honest words, Gai embraced him. The road would be difficult and many things could go wrong, but the Jonin could not find the will to care. Konoha had been most un-youthful to not only one of their greatest heroes, but to the son of such a hero. As a great beast of Konoha, he could not allow such injustice stand! With his cute little student, they would show the village their stupidity with the true power of Youth!

-----

Hidden behind the mask of Noroimusha, Toki forced herself to remain calm. She might be a highly ranked mistress of the naginata, but this would be her first true battle. Despite her bravado, begging and outward confidence, in the depths of her own mind the princess was shaking. Focusing past the fear, Toki ground out her orders. "You will order your allies to disarm, or I will take off your head Mousou." Centering herself, Toki cracked a grin. She would show the others that the Land of Birds could clean up its own mess.

Seeing the lieutenants smirk, her eyes widened as Mousou seemed to disappear! Jumping to the side, the princess barely managed to avoid a dagger to her back. "Now who could you be, I wonder? Too bad, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." Turning, Toki saw the two ninja from earlier had been joined by a third unfamiliar figure. With his odd tattoos and slicked back hair, the ninja gave off an aura of menace. "I don't know if we've been properly introduced sir, so let me rectify that right now. My name is Houki, although I've also been known to go by the title of Mousou. But you can call me Daimyo." Cursing, Toki brought her weapon to bear. Shizune was correct, Mousou had been moving under a genjutsu!

Glancing over their loyal troops, the vile little ninja licked his lips. "Well now that I have been properly presented, I'm afraid you are all going to die. It is really so tragic that the country s militia betrayed the Daimyo on Koumei's orders. Luckily, my ninja got there in time to avenge the royal family, but with the resulting chaos, I will of course be forced to take the reins of the land myself." Snapping his fingers Houki shouted, "Kill them!" At his command nearly two dozen ninja appeared, ready to fight. Hearing the frantic voice of Koumei directing the troops, Toki prepared for battle.

However, at that moment the attacking ninja paused looking around franticly. Turning to look at the traitorous leader, Toki felt lightened by his look of shock. "Where is all this chakra coming from? Who's out there? Show yourself!" That was the cue for a cloud of smoke to cover the battlefield, blinding the principles. It only took a few seconds to clear, but in that time the courtyard had become a battleground.

Spread across the yard was the bleeding and broken bodies of most of the enemy ninja. None appeared to be dead, but none would be rejoining to fight any time soon. All that was left were about ten standard ninja, Houki and his two personal lieutenants. As much as their intervention irked her, Toki could admit that that the look on the traitor's face was worth the irritation.

Blocking the path of the remaining wandering ninja were three figures. On the left was a young woman in a blue and black outfit with heels. On the right was a young girl with the oddest lavender eyes. Of course the center could only be...a horse sized slug? Turning quickly, Toki sighed in relief. It appeared that Tsunade had switched roles with Shizune for the evening and was now standing guard over her brother. That was one less thing to worry about at least. Turning her attention to the remaining enemies, the bleak form of Noroimusha raised its weapon. "You really shouldn't have chosen the hard way worms. Now prepare yourselves for destruction!"

-----

Striding down the corridor, the ANBU agent seemed in his element. There was no hesitation or misstep to raise an alarm. In fact, it would surprise the other ninja in the area to know that this person had not been cleared to access this part of the village. Actually, by all technical definitions, he was a traitor of the worst sort. But with his skill, no one would realize this until it was too late. With his careful plotting, the masked figure had been checking over different prisons within the village over a month. Today was the day he would have success.

Standing in front of the cell door, the figure stared through the window at one of Konoha's most notorious prisoners. Months of inactivity and no sunlight had left his muscles withered and his skin washed out. The once strong visage and noble form of Uchiha Sasuke had become a mockery. Between the filth and the seals, the boy had become an emaciated and blood-splattered canvas. Even without his training, the ANBU knew for a fact that unless Tsunade herself interceded on the child s behalf, Sasuke would never regain his power. It was such a waste of potential.

Decoding the seals on the door, the figure moved quickly once inside the cell. Observing his shallow breathing, the ninja carefully preformed a medical scan before clicking his tongue. Konoha should be more careful. In his current condition, the child probably wouldn't last more than another two, or three months before becoming useless to everybody. It was simply petty vindictiveness on their part to allow this much damage to fester. A Sannin should know better than to let such personal feelings cloud their judgment like that.

As tempting as taking a direct sample for breeding purposes would be, he couldn't risk his infiltration being discovered. Once their breeding program began in earnest, Konoha was going to pay very special attention to that part of his anatomy. It wouldn't do to leave traces to alert the old pervert. Removing three vials from a side pocket, the ANBU took blood samples from an unmarked area of the prisoners back. Performing a quick healing jutsu, he took care to remove the traces before hiding the blood and leaving the cell. In his state of exhaustion, the Uchiha did not even twitch.

Careful to remain visibly casual and unconcerned, the ANBU wandered the corridors within the prison for nearly an hour before making his escape. Taking a side tunnel, he thanked his lucky stars for the lack of Konoha ninja currently in the village. With such a low security presence, he was able to move much easier than would otherwise be possible. Jiraiya might be a very capable spymaster, but even he was simply human. With the losses incurred from the invasion, Konoha was lucky to be an active hidden village at all. Even with a lack of A and S-rank missions, the ninja force was strained to its limit.

Approaching the border with Rice Country, he decided it was safe to remove his disguise. Taking off the ANBU mask, Kabuto blinked in the sudden sunlight. Smirking at how easy the infiltration had gone, he removed a vial of the Uchiha blood for review. Discovering that the genetic material had gone pitch black was a most unwelcome surprise. That old bastard much have applied a kekkei genkai protection seal! Orochimaru-sama was going to be pissed!

Checking his other samples, the medical ninja cursed at the sight. Somewhere on that little brats body was a seal that would contaminate genetic samples taken without the proper unlocking hand sign. A hand sign that probably would only be used to remove a sample for the bloody breeding project! The blood he had taken would be over seventy percent corrupted, and only get worse as time passed. Sighing, the medical ninja preserved what he could before fleeing. Another infiltration would have to wait until either he or Orochimaru-sama could come up with a new plan.

-----

I hope you didn t miss me too much :)

As always, I thank you my awesome readers, for some kick ass reviews. I was overwhelmed by the response to the last chapter, and can only take this as a challenge to push the story farther. While difficult, I will strive only for greater excellence. Although, given the response to the teaser, I m beginning to think I should have used Gai s team much earlier than I did -_-;;;

For those of you who expressed your concerns about Tsume's actions against Hana, I'll try to clear that up a bit. Yes, Tsume is forcing her daughter to bear a child against her will. While distasteful, this is not a malicious move by the woman. Most of the tension involved is caused by Hana s disrespect for her Alpha. For those of you who moan and complain that this is the worst thing that Tsume could do, I would like to point out that this universe allows arranged marriages. How is that so different? Tsume sees the Sharingan as a resource and nothing more.

For all the interested parties, no I am not sure who I am sticking Itachi with if I use a pairing there at all. That confrontation is so far down the line that it is not even funny. Good news is that we ll be leaving Bird within another two chapters. I swear!

For those of you who are interested, Naruto is not learning Ninjutsu theory off-stage right now. Tsunade doesn t trust him to simply read a scroll without trying it out. All he has worked on is taijutsu, theory, politics, strategy, medical techniques and memorization, weapon training, and genjutsu theory. Why, he's practically lying around like a Nara! Things will pick up once they start to move, but don t expect god-like attacks right off the bat.

Alright now that we've cleared that up, it s time for the teaser! Prepare for a fight while the Hyuga Strike Back!


	19. Spear of the Soul

No I don't own Naruto. I would have had that idiot Sarutobi keep his mouth shut in the first place. Hero of the village my butt...

Chapter Eighteen: Spear of the Soul

Looking at the opposing force in shock, Houki felt like pissing his pants. The blonde with the Daimyo was clearly Tsunade of the Sannin, strongest medical ninja in the world. The brunette matched the descriptions of her apprentice Shizune, while the kid had the Byakugan. The summon animal was simply icing on the cake. He had heard the rumors the Slug Princess was on the move again, but had discounted them as flights of fancy. She was now the Godaime of Konoha, and what sane ninja would give up such power to wander aimlessly? Now both he and his clan were facing some of the strongest ninja the Land of Fire had ever produced, as well as its strongest existing kekkei genkai. Everything was ruined now.

Not wasting time with introductions, the summoned slug attacked. Houki could only watch in horror as his remaining minions were taken out quickly and efficiently. If the creature didn't mow its opponents over with a body slam, its acidic fumes rendered the ninja unconscious. His people, trained on the run and constantly fighting for their right to survive, were being slaughtered. All that he seemed capable of now was grinding his teeth in anger, frustrated that they couldn't last longer against one little summon.

Trying to salvage the situation, the leader turned to his lieutenants. "Hokushin, Nagare; we have to get out of here. We're no match for them!" Nodding their agreement, the three ninja prepared to flee. However, life would never be that easy. Seeing the leadership of the rebellious force trying to get away, the Hyuga and Shizune moved to intercept them. Hokushin dodged out of a chakra-infused palm strike while Nagare fled from a storm of senbon needles. Houki was left by himself without allies, options or patsies.

Houki had not become leader of the wandering ninja clans due to his ninja abilities. While his genjutsu abilities were strong, not many of the group respected those sorts of skills. They much preferred flashy taijutsu or ninjutsu that would immortalize their legends within the ninja world. Houki was leader because he was a good tactician, thought on his feet, and was great at playing opponents off of one another. No one challenged his leadership because he managed them well, and insured any rivals were dealt with before becoming a threat.

Now he had to examine his options closely. His forces were decimated, his plot revealed, and the two strongest ninja in the group were fighting battles in which they were very outclassed. On one hand, he could stick around and offer support to Hokushin and Nagare. With his skills, either the Hyuga or Shizune could be taken out. The resulting battle with a pissed of Sannin would then wipe them out. On the other hand, if he left them distracted by their battles, he could sneak away in the confusion and start over. Sound Village was always looking for talent, and honestly that would be the safest place for him after this.

Firming his resolve, the cowardly leader of the wandering ninja prepared to abandon his comrades to their fates. They had served him well, but it was time to move on. There would be other opportunities and battles in the future. After all, a ninja couldn't fight when they were dead. Preparing to bolt, Houki was brought up short by the feeling of steel against his throat. "I believe that you forgot about me, little worm." Looking into the soulless eyes of Noroimusha, he winced. This was going to be a little more complicated than he thought.

-----

Dodging a kick, Neji uncharacteristically smirked. After finally getting discharged from the hospital, he had planned on returning home to evaluate his physical condition. However, not even two minutes after leaving the building, Gai-sensei had found him. Not listening to a word he said, the Beast of Konoha had begun working the Hyuga into the ground. Pushups, sit-ups, sparing, log striking and dodging were simply a few of the exercises covered. By the end of the session, Neji felt like he was about to fall over from exhaustion. Yet at the same time he could not be happier.

Thanks to the wonders of medical ninja muscle stimulation therapy, most of Neji's strength had been preserved during his convalescence. While he was a little stiff from his inactivity, it didn't stop the young Hyuga from enjoying the song of battle. When a person got into a real fight, instinct and motion could truly become one. With that sort of clarity, Neji enjoyed the break from his own self doubts and self recriminations. This was not a time to debate or to question his life. This was a moment of reflection where he could find himself a little more. Based upon his reactions, with some effort he could be back in shape within another week or two.

Finishing the exercise, Neji made a point of turning to check his teammates. Uchiha Sasuke had shown the Konoha Genin what discounting your comrades got you in the end. So he decided that caring for his team might be a good way of improving himself as a person. After all, it was only a little while ago that he had been the villages up and coming genius driven by revenge. Never let it be said that a Hyuga was unable to learn from the mistakes of an Uchiha.

Thinking back, Neji could not help but wonder what had happened in his absence. Tenten was a monster today, throwing three times as many weapons as she normally did while dancing from side to side. Before, the girl had only focused on perfect accuracy and avoided anything that could harm her record of one hundred hits for one hundred throws. However, now she made motion a key part of her practice, changing location for every thrown projectile. It was a very demanding routine, but he had to admit it looked effective. Although the black-haired training dummies getting hit repeatedly in the crotch were beginning to freak him out.

On the other hand, Lee looked absolutely ridiculous. Instead of doing his normal workout of hundreds of exercises, the odd kid was reading! Hair tied back with a white headband, a red symbol for 'YOUTH' clearly printed in its center. In front of the ninja were countless scrolls and booklets, outlining detailed regulations in tiny print. Having gotten curious during his sparing with Gai-sensei Neji had read the contents with his Byakugan only to be stumped. Why the hell was Lee reading over the laws and procedures of Konoha ninja and civilian conduct? That sort of crap was for lawyers, not muscle-bound misfits.

Feeling an eye twitch coming on, Neji decided they need a nice little mission out of Konoha. The symptoms and disconnect with reality appeared to be signs of excessive stress and mental trauma. At least, that was the only reason he could come up with for the apparent insanity of his team. Clearly, they needed a vacation from the problems in the village. Otherwise, someone would crack and it would probably be him.

Looking at his Jonin instructor, Neji debated talking with him about his questions concerning Naruto. Upon reflection, he rejected the idea for two main reasons. Firstly, he did not think that his concerns would be understood by the eccentric ninja. Gai came off as completely crazy at times, so it was difficult to take serious issues to the man. Secondly, he did not want to show weakness. Neji knew that overconfidence could be his undoing, but he felt that it was important to keep his issues to himself. Besides, with his higher security clearance, Gai probably knew the truth as to why Naruto was treated in such a fashion. Watching the spandex clad Jonin hem and haw trying to figure out a way to distract him from the truth would grow extremely tiresome.

Noting that Gai and Lee were performing their traditional end of the practice hug, Neji turned to his other teammate. "Tenten, would you mind an escort to your home? I could use a small cool down and the company would be appreciated." Besides, unlike Gai Tenten would be a good person to talk with about Naruto. As a fellow orphan, she probably understood the subtleties of his treatment better than a beloved child of the Hyuga Clan.

Blinking, the weapons user smiled. "Sure Neji that would be great. Bye Gai-sensei, Lee! We'll see you tomorrow!" Nodding in the duo's direction, Neji began to walk with Tenten towards the village. He might not be as close to the kunoichi as he should be, but perhaps this was a good time to change that. Tenten was the best rookie kunoichi in Konoha at the moment, and her insight would be extremely valuable. Perhaps she had noticed something about the situation in the village that he had missed.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Just as they reached the perimeter of the village proper, another Hyuga intercepted them. Neji recognized the boy as one of his distant younger cousins in the Branch House. "Neji-san, Hiashi-sama requests your immediate presence in the Main House. Please come with me."

Stiffening, Neji nodded before turning to his teammate. "Sorry Tenten, we'll have to do this again sometime." Turning, the Hyuga prodigy followed his cousin as quickly as possible. Given his recent activities, this meeting could go very bad very quickly. Hokage's orders or not, the Hyuga were quite touchy when the Byakugan was involved.

-----

Staring at the blue haired ninja in front of her, Hinata couldn't help but feel slightly excited. Weeks of effort were about to be rewarded with a simple and easy confrontation. After constant training under Tsunade and numerous spars with Naruto-kun, the little Hyuga was actually giddy to fight the enemy. This was an opponent she could test herself against and a battle she could use to show the others that their help was not wasted. This Hyuga failure was ready to show her stuff! Of course, the dramatic effect was ruined by her opponent's inattentive yawn.

Looking down on her, the foreign ninja smirked evilly. "Really, this is my adversary? When I hear about the legendary fighters of Konoha, pictures of children don't usually come to mind. Run away little girl, because Byakugan or no I will enjoy caving in your skull." Hinata shivered in disgust as he licked his lips in anticipation.

Firming her stance, the Hyuga activated her eyes without hand seals. The Hinata of yesterday might have shied and stuttered against such taunts, but the Hinata of today had no such issues. Well, no such issues in dealing with enemy ninja anyways. "I don't know what you've heard, but I assure you the realities can be much worse." There was no more time to talk; only the fight mattered now!

Charging in, Hinata began to throw Juken strike after Juken strike at the opponent. Regrettably, she could not seem to get a hit in. Either the bastard would block her strikes at the wrist or avoid them altogether. It was so bloody frustrating! "What's wrong little Hyuga? Surprised that I don't simply stand there and take it? Your skills aren't bad, but I've fought stronger opponents for years! Our clan specializes in technique analysis and adaptation you foolish girl! Understanding the principles of such a limited ability is child's play!" Lashing out with a kick, Hinata found herself flying through the air. Luckily she managed to land on her feet.

Cracking his knuckles, the older opponent gave off vibes of self satisfaction. "Anyone with a brain knows that a Juken fighter always strikes with an open palm. While they can direct their chakra out of any point of their bodies, the average practitioner only has the ability to affect their opponent's chakra pathways through their palm or fingers. No matter how good your eyes are, with my longer reach and experience you don't stand a chance fighting me with Juken! Prepare to die!"

Gritting her teeth, Hinata was shocked that the enemy realized all of those flaws within the style. The elders had never bothered to have her trained in the forms that counter such problems, so his analysis was perfectly accurate. She could not use Juken to finish this enemy. Too bad for the blue haired pretty boy she knew more than that now. It wasn't fully tested yet, but she had the perfect training dummy right here.

Forming a fist, Hinata met the other ninjas charge head on. Focusing her chakra into the clenched hand, Hinata dodged his strike while releasing her own. Judging from the look in his eyes, it felt like getting hit with a freight train. Not pausing for a second, Hinata quickly circled around the enemy, striking with decreasing energy with each full rotation. By the last strike, the ninja known as Hokushin would have to be scooped up with a shovel.

Looking down at the barely breathing enemy, Hinata grabbed her arm in pain. While she had no major issues with gathering chakra into her hand, the younger Hyuga hadn't managed to redirect the backlash properly yet. The best that she could do so far was to bleed of the energy with additional strikes and constant movement. It wasn't perfect, but until her control improved a lot, that was the best she could do. At least her arm wasn't shredded into little pieces.

While Hinata did not enjoy violence, she had to admit the fight was exhilarating. Training with Naruto had inspired her farther than any lecture or scolding, and the boy's love of combat was almost contagious. She had to admit, fighting to protect people could get addictive if she was not careful. Of course, her moment of introspection was cut off by a cry of surprise. Looking up, the formerly shy little Hyuga realized things had gotten a lot more complicated.

-----

Taking a polite sip of his tea, Neji attempted to keep calm. Upon arriving at the Hyuga compound, he had been rapidly escorted to the reception hall of the main branch. Sitting at the head of the table was Hiashi, wearing his traditional white robes of leadership. A pot of tea was being prepared by another branch house member, while he was guided to the opposite seat of his Uncle. After serving the two their drinks, the branch member left with almost unseemly haste. That above all other things informed the young prodigy this was going to be an uncomfortable conversation.

Taking a particularly long sip, Hiashi began the conversation. "I hear that your Jonin sensei did not waste any time. What was his evaluation of your condition and recovery progress?" As expected of a Hyuga leader, he provided no hint through posture or prose. Even the young genius's advanced eyes could not read his true intent.

Keeping his own tone formal, Neji remained calm. "Gai-sensei is hopeful that I will be back in top form within another two weeks at the latest. The medical program did an excellent job minimizing muscle atrophy, and I just need a little time to get back in shape." Nodding, Hiashi returned to his tea in silence. Again, no extra meaning was provided.

Neither Hyuga spoke for the remainder of their drinks. Neji knew what his uncle wanted information concerning the Caged Bird counter seal. However, he did not have much to offer at his own request. The only thing that might get him into trouble was his desire to apply for the new process as soon as possible. Hopefully, he could survive this interview in the needed condition to acquire it.

Finally finishing his tea, Hiashi let out a sigh. "Alright Neji, let us drop the pretenses. I will be blunt in my questions and you will honest in your response. Do you intend to apply for the counter seal that Jiraiya is working on?" Making no extra twitch, the young man boiled with an internal rage. He could not allow this opportunity to be stolen from him!

Closing his eyes, Neji kept his response even and cool as befitted a Hyuga. "While I trust Jiraiya-sama to take every precaution with his seal research and testing, I am hesitant to rely upon only his reputation for the success of such a delicate project. The Caged Bird Seal has been unbreakable for generations, and I find it doubtful that the manipulations of one man could solve it rapidly or cleanly." Left unsaid was what his final decision would be if the old pervert was successful.

Standing Hiashi gestured for his nephew to follow him. Sweating slightly, Neji fell in step behind the clan head as was his habit. Approaching the central courtyard, Hiashi seemed lost in thought. Neji could only hope that meant his eventual execution was going to be postponed. Nodding, Hiashi turned to address him. "This is a very difficult time for the Hyuga, Neji. Even over a decade later we are still recovering from the Kyuubi attack. The recent difficulties with Sound and Sand have only increased the strain upon our clan. With this latest development, new policies and practices will have to be adopted. With the way things are the Hyuga need to flex or perish." Steeling himself, Neji prepared for the handsign that would end his life. A wait that was to be in vain as it turned out.

"After careful deliberation, the Hyuga elders and I have come to a decision. Once Jiraiya develops a technique that counteracts the Caged Bird seal, we will offer any Branch Member the right to use it. If you wish to participate, I would be honored to name you the new heir of the Hyuga Clan. With your help, a clean transition for our family can be realized." Staring at his Uncle in shock, Neji idly noted that no lie or falsehood seemed to come from his lips. What the heck was going on here?

-----

Dodging from side to side, Shizune felt an eyebrow twitch developing. She had trained under Tsunade-sama for years and knew nearly everything her sensei did about medical ninjutsu. With her poison knowledge, taijutsu and senbon techniques, the young brunette thought herself a fairly competent fighter. Yet, in the last few fights she participated in, her opponents always knew how to counter these vaunted techniques. At this rate, she might just raid the Forbidden Scroll herself for some more variety. It was so horribly frustrating to deal with elemental ninjutsu users who could counter her years of hard work so easily.

Throwing out another brace of senbon at this Nagare character, Shizune sighed as his arm became a wave of sand that deflected the attack. Grinning at her discomfort, the taller ninja directed more of his body to change. "Sorry little medic, but I have the advantage here. In our travels, I discovered the most powerful earth style manipulation in use today. This move is straight from Suna's own Gaara. Your weapons are no match for my abilities!" Dodging the wave of sand, Shizune let out an uncharacteristic growl. This bastard was getting on her nerves!

Thinking quickly, she winced at the only strategy that she could use to deal with his sand. Reaching into her side pouch, the medic grabbed her weapon of choice while running towards her opponent. As expected, her telegraphed move was easily read and defended against. Now if only the pathetic show off acted as she expected, then this could work. "You think you can get past my sand? You really are naive. Allow me to show you the secret technique only used by one other ninja!" Literally flowing around her attack, Nagare enveloped her closed hand with his artificial sand. Clenching her fist, Shizune prayed for a quick reaction. Regrettably, the reaction was not quite fast enough. "Desert Funeral!"

Biting back a scream of pain, Shizune forced her fist to open just a bit. The wandering ninja was so busy gloating, that her actions did not register as first. Luckily, once the pain set in, he could not release her arm fast enough. Looking over the limb, the medic sighed in relief. Compared to the damage sustained by Rock Lee in the Chunin Exam, this was nothing. Tsunade-sama would have her fully functional again within the week.

Turning to her enemy, she had to fight a vicious smirk. The taller ninja was gasping, his fully reformed body discoloring rapidly. Activating a basic pain numbing jutsu, Shizune shook her head in resignation. "I admit that you were perfectly capable of dealing with my weapons. While I've heard about Gaara's defense, your pale imitation is still rather impressive. However, no matter what sort of elemental manipulation you are using, you are still human. As such, your response to poisons is easy to catalogue. No one can maintain their bodies indefinitely as an element, so parts of you had to reform while my arm was trapped. Thus, the capsules I crushed could release their payloads fairly quickly without issue." Gasping, Nagare was denied the dignity of a simple comeback as he expired. Shizune couldn't find it in her heart to care.

Wincing through her jutsu, Shizune forced herself to consume the anti-toxin. While it could be extracted as part of the healing, there was no reason to complicate things unnecessarily. Looking over the remaining enemies, she sighed in relief. The grunts had been taken care of by the summoned slug and Hinata had that blue haired ninja well in hand. All that was left was the ring leader. Who, after hearing Toki's cry of pain, appeared to have a hostage? That made things much more difficult.

-----

Gathering his thoughts, Neji tried to maintain the strict discipline he was known for. "Forgive me Hiashi-sama, but I don't understand. Why would I be named the heir? As far as I am aware, that title is to be held by either Hinata-sama or Hanabi-sama. Even if, for whatever reason, the seal is removed I am still outside the line of succession." Despite his facade, it was all the Hyuga prodigy could do not to explode in anger. Here he was being offered his every dream and desire without any catch? This could be nothing except a sick joke from the Elders.

Apparently, his discomfort was noted despite his best efforts. Hiashi-sama made that apparent with a slight frown. To anyone else, it would be barely noticeable. But to a Hyuga, this sort of expression was almost the equivalent of a shout. "I understand your reasons for being hesitant to believe this Neji. But listen to the facts before making any final judgments." Taking a seat, Hiashi gestured for his nephew to join him. Nervously, the boy complied with this silent command.

Keeping his calm, the clan head sighed. "For many years now, there have been concerns about the stability of the Hyuga Clan. Your fathers sacrifice was simply one of the more prominent examples of our division. Things had begun to calm down recently, but the declaration of the Hokage made everything three times worse. The Main Branch members began to feel threatened by the potential loss of their traditional power. The Branch Family began recalling slight after slight they could use to fuel the fires of revenge. Things were ready to explode when the worst happened. Uzumaki's sealing was made public." Leaning forward, Neji held his breath. This was a chance to gain more clues to the truth that had plagued him for weeks.

Frowning, Hiashi shook his head. "While the reactions to Uzumaki's treatment were mixed, the end results were unavoidable. The village now views the clan with mistrust to downright hostility. The Hyuga cannot survive enemies from both within and without, so we must adapt. The two houses cannot simply be joined in some grand sweeping gesture. We have been separate for generations, and such a reunion will have to be gradual. However with Hinata's new assignment and Hanabi's youth, you are the obvious choice to begin such efforts. Both houses respect you, and you have mastered techniques that ninja four times your age have issue with. There is honestly no one else that I could trust with such a difficult task."

Leaning back, Neji felt his thoughts scatter to the four winds. He was being offered a chance that many in his family could only dream of. As the heir of the clan, he could change things for the Hyuga that held them back. Such a transition would accomplish everything that he could possibly ask for. Such bounty must have a catch. "I am sorry for my impertinence Hiashi-sama, but why do you wish to offer the chance to remove the caged bird seal? Why not simply order everyone to undergo the procedure and be done with it? Surely that would ease tensions more dramatically than such a mild declaration."

Closing his eyes, Hiashi sighed. "Believe what you will Neji, but there are those within the Branch Family who are happy with their lot. It would be unfair to arbitrarily remove them from the only lives they have ever known. If a Hyuga lacks the conviction or the courage to have the seal removed, then they should not be forced into a mismatched mold." The raw regret in his voice almost had the young prodigy convinced. But it still was not enough.

Standing, Hiashi offered his hand to the young man. "The Hyuga clan has convinced itself that such measures as the seal were needed to protect our strength. Now, those who wish to gain authority within the clan will have to earn it. This is no longer about who was born first or to what parents. This is about what can be accomplished through personal effort and ability. That is the only way for our family to survive." Looking at his uncle, Neji had to wonder who this person was. No one should be able to say such things with a straight face!

Dropping his hand at his nephew's gob smacked expression, Hiashi smiled. "I know that this is a lot to take in. Rest and meditate for now. Nothing will happen until Jiraiya makes his counter seal anyways." With his exit, Neji was left alone and confused with his thoughts. In shock, the genius did not even consciously notice the smile turn vicious. Unfortunately for the elder Hyuga, his unconscious mind was slightly more alert.

-----

Eyebrow twitching, Naruto took in the scene before him. Hinata-chan and Shizune-nee-chan had taken out the strongest ones there, although Shizune-nee-chan was hurt. Hinata-chan's Slug Summons was taking care of the last of the grunt ninja. So of course, the only one to get captured was the disguised Toki. As good as the woman was with her weapon, she really should not have taken a ninja so lightly. Now since he was the only one not occupied or noticed, it was his responsibility to save her. That was what ninjas were supposed to do with princesses after all.

While the ninja was unfamiliar, his stance was an open book. Naruto had seen the same reactions from cornered animals in the wild around the village. This guy had gone from predator to prey within minutes, and the disorientation was making him desperate. Right now, his only chance at survival was the hostage held at kunai point. As a ninja working for the Land of Birds, for the moment anyways, he had an obligation to stop this. The big question was how?

Naruto frowned in concentration as he pondered his options. Shadow clones would only give away his position and put Toki at risk. A frontal assault alone would accomplish the same things while endangering his life as well. He had no way of talking with the others to coordinate a strike. Finally, none of his available jutsus were precise enough to hit the bad guy without hurting the girl. Well, that is, none of his ninjutsus anyways.

The thing was he technically had a set of genjutsu that might help out. Among their medical lessons for the last few weeks, Shizune had made a point of teaching them some basic genjutsu techniques to liven things up. The problem was that he had never tested them. Oh, he could use the hand signs well enough and knew the correct emotional focus to use for each, but the hyperactive blonde did not really have a knack for the moves. Even a knucklehead knew that throwing an untested jutsu into the middle of a fight was just as likely to kill the user as the enemy.

However, Naruto understood he did not really have a choice. While he had been thinking over the situation, the ninja was realizing just how boned he really was. Facing Tsunade-baa-chan, Shizune-nee-chan and Hinata-chan, the bastard had to be pissing his pants. The longer he had to realize how hopeless things were, the more dangerous it became for Toki. If Naruto was going to win, he had to act now.

Thinking over the available genjutsu in his arsenal, Naruto took aim and began the hand seals. If this guy was the one traveling under a long term transformation, he was probably a genjutsu master. Therefore, the best Naruto could hope for was to distract him before launching an attack. That meant he would need to use the strongest genjutsu in his arsenal, even if it was only an untested C-rank. Focusing on his remembered feelings of neglect and rejection, Naruto whispered out his technique "Pain of Memory." Releasing as much chakra as possible to enforce the darker emotions driving the technique, Naruto quickly grabbed a kunai and jumped out to attack the enemy.

He was not really thinking about what the genjutsu would do. Given how weak the technique was, and his habit of unbalancing genjutsu by overloading them, Naruto was hoping for a twitch at most. But if he could take advantage of that twitch, Toki would be much easier to rescue. After all, the genjutsu just mimicked emotional pain and overlaid it on the subjects mind. It was easy to recognize, and any ninja had to be used to such suffering. How much could his thirteen years of life compare to such an older ninja?

-----

Held by Houki, Toki was feeling rage on a scale previously unheard of. When facing the little bug, she had felt confident of her chances. The bastard seemed unarmed, and she had him at blade point with no room to maneuver. How could someone get past her with such horrible odds? It was a laughable idea! Unfortunately, she had not taken his genjutsu skills into account during her evaluation. So when Houki started to waver, she panicked.

In a matter of minutes, all of her training and boasts were rendered useless. Her naginata was taken, her arms bound and a blade held to her throat. No matter how hard she trained or how far she went in spars, Toki had never fought in a pitched battle before. On the other hand, Houki had been fighting as a ninja for years, and clearly had her trumped in terms of experience. Powerless in her captors grip, the princess was willing to admit she might have jumped the gun a bit. Letting Tsunade take care of things would probably have been the smarter move in the end.

Frustrated, Toki was forced to stay still as the traitor ripped off her mask. Eyes widening, the short brunette smiled evilly. "Well, well, well, look what we have here. It appears that the stories of your demise were greatly exaggerated Toki-hime. This will make things so much easier. Now what do you say we get the others attention." Not waiting for a response Houki twisted her arm, dislocating the limb with ease. Against the young woman's best efforts, a small scream escaped her throat. The courtyard became very quiet after that.

Speaking with confidence, the wandering ninja addressed her brother. "I have to admit Sagi-kun, that I was not expecting such cleverness from you. Not only did you contact one of the legendary ninja to help you in secret, but you ruthlessly faked your sister's death to gain a new spy. I am very impressed! It's almost too bad that I'll have to leave the country now, but that's the way of the world. Now unless you want a fresh corpse to join your father, you will order your men and assorted allies to step back a bit." Helpless, Toki watched Sagi order the men and Konoha ninja to stand down. Now she really was in trouble.

Backing away slowly, Houki made a point of grabbing her injured arm. "The princess and I will be leaving now. She will enjoy my company for a few weeks, until I think things will be safe. I cannot give you much in the way of a guarantee, but I will say that anyone who tries to stop or follow us will be responsible for her death. Keep that in mind before doing anything rash, Tsunade of the Sannin. Come my dear, we have much left to do." Powerless in her injured state Toki followed, certain her death was now only a matter of time. Then the rules of the game changed completely.

A wave of cold air seemed to pass by the young princess, sending a chill up her spine. Suddenly, the princess felt more alone than any other time in her life. Whatever this feeling was, Toki was tempted to check her veins for ice water. The only good thing seemed to be the fact she was only getting the edge of it. Based on the expression Houki was sporting, he was experiencing something a hundred times worse.

Dropping her arm with a suddenly limp grip, the wandering ninja's face was an expression of sheer terror. Fighting off the shock from her injury, Toki tried to grasp the naginata with one hand. Seemingly in response to her actions, the enemy grabbed a kunai. Forcing herself to stand, Toki prepared for the final confrontation between her and the enemy of her family. So his next actions shook her to the core. The princess had a clear and unobstructed view of the kunai piercing his eye before something knocked her down and covered her face. That did not block the final scream of Houki the traitor, nor did it do much for her arm.

Looking up in a haze of pain, Toki was shocked by the worried face of Uzumaki Naruto. "Oh thank kami that worked! Are you ok, Toki-hime? I can't believe that bastard hurt you like that! Don't look behind me, it isn't pretty, but at least you won't have to worry about that jackass again. Baa-chan! Please hurry, she's hurt and going into shock! I don't want to reset her arm without help in dealing with the inflammation. Just stay with me Toki-hime and everything will be ok. I promise you, and I never go back on my word! Baa-chan, get down here already!" Held in the young Chunin's grasp Toki felt herself drift off, the stress of the encounter finally catching up to her. Yet, she had to admit that she had not felt this safe in quite a while.

-----

Looking at the moonlight, Neji felt his world shift and change faster than he could have ever thought possible. Today, the prodigy had been offered something that he had never dared to hope for. With the position of heir, his own prowess and years of effort would be acknowledged in the strongest manner possible. By running the clan, he could make sure that no Hyuga would be thrown away because of convenience. It should have been the simplest choice he would ever have to make. But deep down, some part of him felt uneasy. This had to have a catch he had not realized yet.

Looking over his feelings, Neji admitted that a large part of his hesitation was due to Hinata. Despite his angry words and buried resentment, Neji had spent years knowing that Hinata would be the next leader of the clan. Having that viewpoint removed so easily was extremely disorienting. Her recent changes did not make things any easier. Despite her soft nature, the picture of Hinata leading the clan with a gentle spirit was a surprisingly attractive image. Taking her position would feel like the basest of betrayals on his part.

On a less emotional point, Neji still did not trust the Hyuga leadership. While Hiashi had been building bridges lately, he was not stupid enough to ignore the possibility of a double cross. Despite what the clan head might have spouted earlier, the Hyuga Elders did not part with power lightly. For there to be equality between the houses would undermine their position, and Neji could not picture them allowing something like that without a backup plan in place. But what part of their plan allowed such a loophole?

Trying to remain calm, Neji mentally went over the conversation piece by piece for nearly the hundreth time. As one of the best users of the Byakugan in decades, it was easy for him to derive meaning and emotion from the slightest amount of body language. Conversely, any Hyuga learned to hide the slightest twinge of unnecessary movement to protect their secrets. As the head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi was nearly impossible to read in such a fashion. But even the best have an off moment, as the analysis of his smile finally came back. Despite the brevity of the motion, it was as clear as day to the young Hyuga. As far as he could determine, Hiashi still had one last card to play; the question was what.

Shaking his head, the young Hyuga suppressed a snort of irritation. What could the elders possibly pull after a stunt like that? With position within the clan being based upon ability rather than family position, would not their own power be under attack. Many of the elders had not fought for decades. How could they possibly maintain their hold over the clan when it became a war zone? Narrowing his eyes, Neji formed a fist once their plan became clear. As always, the Hyuga leadership was willing to throw away others to maintain their power.

Nothing in Hiashi's sale pitch dealt with the Elders at all! Since their position was based upon diplomatic and political maneuvering, the group could claim exception from the trials the younger Hyuga would have to undergo. Sitting on the top looking down, they could rest easy while everyone else had to fight to insure their own survival. Such freedom from their servitude would move many of the Branch Family to fight friend and foe alike. Not only would the clan remain divided, but the Elders could use this event to deal with the suspicion of Konoha.

Feeling the blood flowing down his fingers, Neji tried to get his rage under control. As the heir of such a system, he would be forced to fight every day. Either he would be training, trying to lead the clan through the chaos, or struggling to maintain his position. Of course, one poor boy could not do everything. Without a doubt, the elders would offer to take over some of the responsibilities. A task here, a petition there and the old farts would turn him into a figure head. This was simply trading one cage for another! That was no way to change the Hyuga Clan!

Thinking about Naruto's words about 'family' and 'suffering' Neji had to snort. It seemed so ironic that the one member of his clan who had never tried to use him was also the one he had hated the most. Now Hinata was gone on some crazy mission, and he was left the best candidate to take her place of suffering and hardship. Truly fate had an odd sense of humor. But had he not also seen that same fate could be overcome through one's own will?

Taking a deep breath, Neji made his choice. Upon the completion of the counter seal, he would ask Jiraiya for emancipation from the Hyuga clan. He might simply become Neji, but if there was one thing learned from all this, it was that names did not change who you were. He was Neji and would remain so. Even if he never saw the inner halls of the clan again, it would be worth it to insure his freedom. After all, what sort of genius stays trapped in a cage? There was a very large world out there, and the closest thing he would have to true family was struggling in it. Hopefully, he could be a part of that grand adventure one day.

-----

Looking over his notes, Jiraiya let out a sigh of satisfaction. Weeks of research capped off by a three hour session of torture had cumulated in one of his greatest achievements. For the first time in history, someone outside the Hyuga clan knew the details of the Caged Bird Seal. With this information, any such seal or related derivative could be removed without issue. Maybe some of those Hyuga ladies from the Branch House would decide to show their appreciation. Everyone knew what the real Hyuga bloodline was after all, and he could use the help for his next book.

Apparently, the trick was to apply an eight pronged counter seal with a double barrier. Not only did this stabilize the seals integrity during removal, it also grounded the built up energy. Once the seal was contained, it could be transferred to a piece of chakra sensitive paper and safely destroyed. For a seal that took hours to apply, the removal was almost criminally easy. With a little medical ninjutsu, there should not even be a scar.

Tempted to pat himself on the back, Jiraiya tried to calm down. The last time he had tried that, his shoulder had not felt right for weeks. All he had to do was field test it on Neji in the morning, and he could honestly declare the technique finalized. Soon, the Hyuga would be in complete turmoil trying to adjust to the change, and in no position to cause trouble for a while. After all, what could those old bats do to counter the loss of their servants?

Looking over the village, Jiraiya had to bite back a grin. Now that the Hyuga seal was decoded, he felt much better about his chances with the ROOT security seal. Several of the principles were the same as the Hyuga work, and it had nothing on the mighty Caged Bird Seal. After a good night's sleep, he would figure out the next step and deal with the ROOT prisoners. Maybe they knew something useful. Pulling out the Crystal Ball, the toad sage began to giggle. After all that hard work, he deserved a little treat. Staring into the globe, he suppressed a line of drool. Who knew the kunoichi instructors at the academy were so kinky? He would never have thought to use a rose stem like that!

-----

Yahoo! Finally finished!

Sorry for the delay, but I have had the worst cold for the last week. It's a little tricky to write when you're so stuffed up you can barely breathe. But now that I'm over it, we can continue to go forward!

Again, as always, I am shocked and awed by the response to my humble story. I enjoyed each and every one of your reviews, and am only sorry they got ahead of me before I could manage to maintain my responses. However, I tried to address any major issues in private and will now deal with the biggest issues I saw in general.

The fate of Uchiha Sasuke is fairly open and shut. Do I plan on leaving him in the darkness forever? Unfortunately, I probably won t. I have an idea for one of the later parts of the challenge and think that he would be fairly useful there. What will I have happen to him? Yeah, I'm so not telling.

The main reason that I have avoided using him as a villain is that such an action really hurt cannon Naruto. The poor blonde became so obsessed with the idiot, that he was willing to sell his soul to the Kyuubi at one point, nearly killing Jiraiya. That is so not happening again if I can help it.

A Hana/Itachi pairing was not even in the back of my mind when I started focusing on the Inuzuka. However, it is catching on and quite frankly, I agree with the idea that it's the best way to stick it to Tsume while following her commands.

The issues with Naruto's training have remained in place. I plan on upping the jutsu training once they leave Bird, but there are going to be complications. In fact, I don't think that he will have the ability to master or re-master any new jutsu before their next adventure arc. Sorry about that, but such is the life of the fugitive.

Ha! No one even guessed what I had planned for the Hyuga! Behold my super powered sneaking of DOOM!

As to the rest of the little requests for information on other plot points...just wait and see. :)

Oh, one thing though. Naruto has not tried to recreate that chakra arm move because of how worried Tsuande and Shizune got when he described its original first use. He knows that there is something dangerous about it (although what is a bit beyond him) and coupled with the lack of time to train with Chakra, his options have been limited. Besides, he doesn t really need it again for a while.

Now for a small preview of the next chapter; upon leaving the Land of Birds, things should go more smoothly. But you know better don't you?


	20. Elemental Attraction

No I don't own Naruto. Who would want to deal with that much paperwork?

Chapter Nineteen: Elemental Attraction

Looking over the morning mists, Tsunade let out a sigh of contentment. It had been two weeks since the attempted coup, and things had finally stabilized within the Land of Birds. After interrogating the survivors of the wandering ninja clan with the help of Koumei's guards, every dirty deal and plot was revealed in all their tainted glory. A few councilors had been charged, the enemy ninja were executed, and Sagi-dono and Koumei-sama had both joined forces. Explaining the operation to all of the leadership of the Land of Birds had taken way too long. In the end, it was only her own, personal endorsement that prevented a minor civil war. Now the country was ready for a new reign under their young ruler once again.

Koumei had been busy, politicking and working closely with Chishima to stabilize the country's leadership. Between the two, Tsunade did not worry about the future in the slightest. Chishima as always was extremely loyal to the royal children. Surprisingly, Koumei had developed a massive amount of respect for Toki-hime. He could often be seen asking for her advice and input before enforcing policy. The young princess could not seem to get her head around the attention, often asking to borrow Naruto for a sparring partner. Apparently, fighting the young blonde who would not give up was surprisingly therapeutic.

Thinking about the boy brought a smile to the older woman's face. Despite the issues they had to deal with while hiding in Bird, Naruto had managed to gain quite a bit. Between his training with Toki, sparring with Hinata, and studying under herself and Shizune the little brat was clearly a solid Chunin. Despite all the long odds and impossible adaptations that no normal human could have overcome, Naruto was now ready to act as a ninja of both his rank and ability. By all rights she should return to the village, her mission completed. Too bad for Konoha that she had no plans to do so.

Naruto was facing odds that were greater than any Chunin was capable of dealing with. S-rank ninja had to work extremely hard to gain their title, and despite his leaps Naruto was not there yet. Once they returned to Konoha, no matter how much chaos Jiraiya had managed, the advisors would once again pressure her to remove the boy. If Naruto left with his current level of ability, Akatsuki would eat him for lunch. She could never forgive herself for such an act, and Hinata probably would not either.

Now that things were stable, it was high time to leave again. Too many people knew her current location for any peace of mind, and Tsunade was determined to press forward. Now that they could move safely, it was high time to begin the intensive ninjutsu training that would bring the two Chunin to new heights. Shizune could probably learn a thing or to herself. Ever since having her arm healed up, with just a little help from Naruto's pulsing technique, the normally shy Jonin seemed determined to ramp up her arsenal. Apparently, having her last few opponents counter Shizune's limited offensive library had angered the woman. Far be it from her to deny the apprentices anything.

Cracking her joints, Tsunade prepared to gather her few loose possessions. They would be leaving after breakfast, and she needed to make sure that nothing was left behind. While there was a lot of progress made here, the Land of Birds was only holding them back. There was a large world out there, and it was high time for the group to enjoy that a bit. Besides, between the training and recuperation, she had a younger blonde to introduce to the joys of professional gambling. With his luck, Naruto could probably triple their money in a week!

-----

Hiashi had been meditating for nearly an hour before word had reached him of his nephew's departure from the Clan holdings. The Hyuga Clan Head was not too worried about it, assuming that the boy simply needed some time to think about his offer from the other day. Finding out that you were going to be elevated from servant to future leader of the clan had to be a massive shock. Once the boy accepted, they could finally reunify the Hyuga under a stronger banner while showing the village they were not monsters. Of course keeping the younger members fighting one another for position, while leaving the elders free to pursue their own agenda, was a nice bonus.

When the young prodigy returned a few hours later, Hiashi let out a sigh of relief. However, upon activating his Byakugan he was shocked by the sight of Neji packing his possessions. Hurrying from his rooms, the clan head tried to cut his nephew off at his room. Despite his best efforts, he could not quite get ahead of the boy until the compound's gate. Seeing the bursting duffel, he knew that something had gone wrong.

Forcing himself to appear calm, Hiashi faced his nephew. "Neji, where are you going? Surely the Hokage has not assigned you a mission so soon after your injury." Seeing the boy's calm gaze, the elder Hyuga was suddenly reminded of his brother. Hizashi often had the same look in his eye when they were children. Unfortunately, it had never boded well for the elder child.

Bowing, Neji met his scrutiny without fear. "Hiashi-sama, I have returned to gather my personal effects. As of this morning, I am no longer Hyuga Neji. Jiraiya-sama was kind enough to grant me emancipation from the clan. From now on, I shall simply be Neji unless things change significantly in the near future." With these words, Hiashi felt his world collapse from underneath his feet.

Trying to remain calm, the Hyuga Clan Head took a step forward. "How can you say such things, Neji? We are taking to first steps to dissolve the separation between our houses. Within another few generations, no one will even remember the difference between the Branch House and the Main House. You yourself have been offered the position of Clan Heir. One who was destined for servitude has earned a place to one day lead the clan. What more do you need to prove that change is coming?"

Sighing, Neji suddenly looked very old. "You can change the names, and alter the rules involved but things have not changed all that much. The elders and you are still using the youth of the clan to further their own ambitions. As long as your clansmen and clanswomen are nothing more than pieces on a game board, things will never really change." Feeling his soul grow cold, Hiashi realized that his nephew had read the situation perfectly. That was the problem with geniuses; they tended to figure things out.

Straightening his posture, Neji continued. "Now it appears that I have two choices before me. On one hand, I can submerge myself in your game. I will hold my position through force and give my powers away to stay alive. Before long I will be strong and powerless and you will be crafty and safe. Or I can follow the example of the Hokage and remove myself from the equation. I can become a symbol for my fellow Hyuga to show them that they do not have to remain with the clan to flourish. They can be family and work as one for one another, instead of the privileged few." Closing his eyes in a moment of pain, Hiashi knew then that he had lost the last link to his brother on Earth.

Shouldering his pack, Neji bowed again. "I thank you for your kindness as it was, but this will be our parting. Perhaps things will change in the future, but now is not the time for such thoughts. Farewell Uncle." Watching Neji's back, Hiashi felt a black rage bubble up in his mind. He could not allow this! He would not lose the strongest of the Hyuga! Taking his hands, the elder Hyuga formed the familiar seal of pain. His cry of rage stopped the boy in an instant. But nothing else occurred.

Turning, Neji faced him with a look of pity. "Are you that entrenched in tradition that the second a Branch Member tells you something objectionable your first instinct is to punish?" Removing his headband, Neji shocked him into silence with the clear forehead underneath. "Goodbye Hiashi. I don't think we shall meet again." With all the grace he was known for, Neji walked out of the compound for the last time.

-----

Looking over the group before him, Naruto could not help but feel proud. He might not have learned a lot of kick-ass jutsu, but the Land of Birds had taught him all sorts of other lessons. Patience, manipulating instead of trashing your opponents, and weapons were just the tip of the ice berg. This was where he had asked out a cute girl on a date and been accepted. Here was where he started to multitask and prioritize his objectives. This was the land he had started to really understand what it meant to lead. While the lack of practice kind of sucked, he was happy. Making some more friends did not hurt either.

Smiling, Sagi spoke for the send off committee. "We thank you for your aid in this difficult time. Without your intervention, both I and my closest friends would be dead right now. No matter what happens in Konoha, know that you and yours will always be welcome in the Land of Birds." Feeling his face turn read, Naruto fought off the urge to rub the back of his head. This was one of the times he was being acknowledged and the blonde prankster did not want to miss a minute. "Since you have refused official payment from either the treasury or the bounties on the traitors from the wandering ninja, we have prepared a small number of gifts."

Coming forward, Toki handed Baa-chan a set of scrolls. "These are medical manuals from our local healers. While I don't know if anything there is impressive by your standards, the recipes within are based upon local materials that are quite rare outside the country. I can only hope that some bit of knowledge within this text can help you one day as you have helped both of us." Smiling lightly, the Hokage bowed in response.

Turning to Hinata-chan, Toki took a deep wooden case. "I know this is a little bulky to travel with, but I hope that your sensei can seal it in a scroll for you. Once things were revealed to the court, I had the best seamstresses working on this night and day. I can only hope that it is to your liking." Opening the case, Hinata gasped in shock. Peaking over her shoulder, Naruto was surprised by the sight of a lovely kimono. It seemed to feature white cranes on a blue background, tinted to compliment the young Hyuga's hair. Picturing the girl wearing the kimono, Naruto grinned. She was really going to look cute in that.

Turning to face him, Toki suddenly gave off a radiant smile. "Now as to you Naruto-kun, I've got something special. Since you seem like such a hard worker, I would hate for you to lose your edge with the naginata. So I made sure to give you a few to work with." Looking at the bundle, Naruto felt his eyebrows widen in surprise. The case was even larger than Hianta-chan's, and held three different naginata. Based upon the shine of the lacquer and the sharpness of the blade, these had to be brand new! Toki-hime was the best sensei on the planet!

Leaning in closer, Toki-hime whispered into his ear. "These blades are unnamed and fresh, so don't go easy on them. I hope you work yourself into the ground with palms bleeding and breath wheezing. But this is simply my present for being such a good student." Closing the distance, Toki gave him a small, deliberate kiss on the cheek. "That is my present for saving my life, oh future Hokage." Gulping, Naruto almost felt like fainting.

Backing off, Toki smiled at Hinata-chan once more. "Please look after this block-head for me. I think we both know he's destined for greatness." Blushing, the Hyuga bowed with a smile on her face. Naruto did not know what was going on, but he did know one thing. Saving princesses from certain death rocked beyond all expectations!

Bowing for the group, Baa-chan quickly sealed the larger presents and led the team past the border. Waving one last time at the trio, Naruto followed the group. Flying through the air, he had to admit to himself that things were looking up. Now that there were no distractions, he could finally start learning some jutsu from the Forbidden Scroll to get stronger. This was not the time to hold back or play it safe. Now that they could hit the road again, it would be a smooth trip of training and adventure! After all, what could possibly go wrong?

-----

Glowering at the report in front of him, the Tsuchikage threw the papers down in disgust. That bloody bitch Tsunade had once again popped back on the radar only to flit through the cracks. Even if he sent forces to this Land of Birds, the Slug Princess was probably long gone. No matter how much he wanted to ignore the situation that was no longer an option. The blonde was no longer a drunken lay bout. This was Tsunade of the Sannin, fully functional and mobile. Such an opponent could not be allowed to wander freely without supervision.

The woman's actions made no logical sense. She had been appointed Hokage, and should be stationary in Konoha. Instead, a Kage-level ninja was flitting from place to place without any sort of apparent plan. What possible reason could she have to disappear? If this had only taken a month, it would be an oddity. But any operation that required this much time and nailed Jiraiya in her place was one he needed to know about. He could no longer afford to be in the dark.

Leaning back into the chair, the old man grumbled unhappily. In all honesty he would be happy to leave the situation alone. The Sannin were a group that he avoided as much as possible, and getting tangled in their affairs was asking for trouble. There was no evidence that the group was interested in any of his resources or projects, and their adventures seemed completely isolated from Iwa. If he had learned anything as a leader, it was to let sleeping dogs lie. Let the Leaf punks wander around on vacation.

On the other hand, the analytical part of his mind clamored to take advantage of such a golden opportunity. Now that Tsunade was Hokage, a direct attack upon the woman could weaken Konoha and the Fire Country significantly. Removing one of the loyal Sannin from circulation, or even one of those blasted apprentices, would sow seeds of doubt among Konoha's supporters. Contracts would be renegotiated, missions reassigned, and Iwa could only prosper from Konoha's demise. Not to mention the secrets and Jutsus that the Hunter Nin could decode from their fallen opponents. In that light, the strongest Medical Ninja and her bloodline lackeys were too attractive to ignore.

Rubbing his eyes, the Tsuchikage summoned his personal assistant. "I want a squad of our best veteran Hunter Nins here in ten minutes. A new prey has presented itself and we must act quickly before the opportunity is lost." Nodding, the man left to inform the Hunter Nin Captain. Veterans were hard to find in Iwa, but they tended to be the best. Recent prodigies tended to be too flighty for this sort of work, as Deidara demonstrated. If this was going to happen, only the best could attempt it with any chance of success.

Feeling his old bones creak, the leader of the Hidden Rock firmed his resolve. This plan was dangerous and could start a war, but what was life without a little risk? Between the Sound Invasion and the loss of the Sandaime, Konoha was hardly in a position to declare hostilities in retaliation. Those two old jackasses Homura and Koharu would probably sue for peace at the drop of a hat, and the Daimyo would have no choice but to agree. Any player in this game was as dependable as his aching hip in the winter. After all, it was not like that blasted village had another Yellow Flash lying around.

-----

Frowning at the paperwork before him, Shibuki of Waterfall felt a headache coming on. "I believe that we need to arrange further talks with Konoha if this is the fastest they can provide us with information. Imagine the gall of hiding something like this for months! Tsunade is enough of a surprise, but Naruto too? That just takes the cake!" Naruto might be a little annoying, but any hero of his home deserved more than the reports indicated. What sort of village would abuse a good kid like that blonde brat?

Stepping forward, one of the many advisors cleared his throat. "I apologize for the delay Shibuki-sama, but Tsunade-sama left Jiraiya-sama in charge of the village in her absence. The man is many things, but his foremost skill will always be spying. He has apparently been running anti-information sweeps ever since entering office and it has made getting the facts all the more difficult." Sighing, the young leader rubbed his eyes in irritation. As close as Waterfall was with Konoha, these sorts of rumors were enough to make him reconsider that alliance.

Pausing at the thought, he slowly began to smirk. "You know, from the stories we're picking up its almost like Tsunade is declaring free agency. I wonder what it would take to attract the group to relocate here. Heaven knows we could use the help." Watching the sputtering elders and mild heart attacks his off hand comments had generated, Shibuki decided the paperwork would be worth it if more scenes like this became common.

Slamming his hand on the desk, another advisor glared at him. "What are you talking about, Shibuki-sama? Do you have any idea how much such an action would anger Konoha? Even after their invasion and the temporary loss of Tsunade, the Leaf Village is still much stronger than us. We cannot afford to antagonize them so openly!"

Narrowing his eyes, the young leader rose to meet the challenge. "The only Konoha ninja I trust unconditionally is currently wandering the world to recover from attacks by his village. As you all know, Uzumaki Naruto is considered a hero of Waterfall for his aid in dealing with Suien's attack. What does it say about this village when we are unwilling to defend those who have helped us in the past? At the very least we should offer him an invitation to visit during his convalescence as a sign of goodwill. After all, thanks to you idiots we now need all help we can get!" Noting the silence, Shibuki smiled grimly. This had been a sore point with him since taking office.

Sweating slightly, the more aggressive advisor backed away. "I know that you are still somewhat upset by the tragedy of Kunoichi Fuu. However, as one of our strongest ninja she was destined for the hardest and most dangerous missions we could acquire. In all honesty there was no one else we could trust with such delicate matters."

Snorting, Shibuki sat back down. "Yeah right, tell me another one. Fuu was sent without backup on a false mission that led to her death. When she sent a request for help, you simply ignored the communication. Well now we have lost one of our best fighters, our Biju, and a very loyal Waterfall ninja. After a stunt like that, we'll be lucky to remain solvent for another five years." Noting that the advisors seemed properly chastised, Shibuki decided that one more push was in order. If he was going to lead this village, he was going to do his damn best too actually lead!

Reading for an intercom, the young ninja spoke with more confidence than he actually felt. "I want a squad of ninja prepared for a diplomatic mission. An important dignitary is currently at loose ends, and we are going to make an effort to reach out to them. You have ten minutes." Leaning back, Shibuki savored the disgruntled looks of his advisors. Trust Naruto to make things interesting without doing a thing.

-----

Looking at the test results, Orochimaru grit his teeth in rage. All of that effort was for nothing! "Are you telling me Kabuto that none of the genetic material is useable? You are an excellent medical ninja, so surely a little degradation or corruption can be accounted for." If not, there were going to be a lot of dead ninja very soon.

Shaking his head, the young ninja had the presence of mind to step back. "I am deeply sorry Orochimaru-sama, but I am not a miracle worker. While I was able to isolate a selection of the sample from the effects of the seal, there is not enough to engineer a test for the Sharingan. As much as it pains me to admit it, Jiraiya was far more thorough than we gave him credit for. It is useless to attempt another sample extraction without a different plan." Hearing his worst fears confirmed, the Snake Sannin threw the reports down in disgust.

"Then the Sharingan might as well be out of reach for decades! Based upon your reports, there is no reason to attempt to steal the child. He is ruined as a ninja, and nothing we attempt will change that. Even once they start that blasted program, I know that Jiraiya won't make an extraction simple or easy. Between decoys and his manipulation, getting another Uchiha will be nearly impossible!" Running his hand through his hair in frustration, Orochimaru growled. "We need a new plan."

Biting his lip, Kabuto hesitated before sighing. "Forgive me Orochimaru-sama, but I had a sudden thought. While I am not known as a miracle worker, Tsunade is. Now that she's had a chance to lower her guard, and you have had some time to recover, why don't we attempt to gain her strength again?" Looking at his subordinate, the power hungry ninja began to shake in anticipation. While apparently ridiculous, such an idea had many possibilities. As galling as it was to admit, Tsunade was his superior in medical techniques. Collaboration could prove to be most beneficial. Not to mention how amusing it could be to gain control over Naruto-kun, Akatsuki or no.

Leaning back, Orochimaru decided that it was time to change his approach. His overall goal was the acquisition of all jutsu in the world, and a greater understanding of the nature of the techniques. While the Sharingan would be an invaluable tool in such an endeavor, it was not the only path to power. As irritating as it was to admit, he was best off leaving the Uchiha to Konoha for a while. As an immortal, he had all the time in the world.

However, to retain that immortality, the Snake Sannin knew he had to improve his possession jutsu. It was not something he liked facing, but the sad fact was he could not continue to function in such a limited fashion without further developing the technique. Despite countless experiments and attempts to control the rejection, he had reached a plateau in his control of the situation. That did not mean that Tsunade would be similarly limited. Given how sentimental the woman could be, all her cooperation would really require was a hostage or two. Being the courteous woman she was, the Slug Princess even had a couple ready for the pickings.

Turning to his nervous subordinate, Orochimaru grinned. "Kabuto, alert the Fuuma ninja that they have one more chance to prove themselves. After their last debacle, they should be honored to be given such an important duty. Not only must they track my old teammate, but they also have to capture one of her female apprentices. No reason to damage the Kyuubi brat prematurely after all." Bowing, the grey haired medic fled, leaving him to his own devices.

-----

Reading the reports before her, the Godaime Mizukage frowned. When information on one of her personal idols came to light, she could barely believe her ears. "This is most troubling, Ao. A Kage is supposed to remain within their village to insure its safety. No matter what the reason I cannot believe that Tsunade of the Sannin would leave for such limited acts, no matter how odious. How reliable is our source from Konoha?"

Sighing, the eye patch wearing ninja answered gruffly. "As accurate as can expected from the distance and factors involved. As much as I hate to say it, Tsunade of the Sannin has gone wandering once again. Only this time she's an official Hokage, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. This cannot be good."

Leaning back, the young woman rubbed her temples in irritation. As much as it pained her to agree with the idiot, Ao had a point. A drunken retired kunoichi was one thing, and at most a slight irritation. But an acknowledged Kage-level ninja with their whits about them wandering unchecked was much more dangerous. Being isolated in the village was par for the course for the average Kage, and explicitly expected. Such a dangerous ninja wandering without direction could act quickly to destabilize the international balance of power. So while the blonde was not interested in her country now, that could change at any time.

Reviewing the facts, the Mizukage snorted in frustration. Thanks to Yagura, half of their ninja forces were decimated by infighting and bigotry. Bloodlines could be somewhat gross and dangerous, but they were the most effective method around to establish power in the ninja world. Just look at Konoha! They practically worshiped the damn things, and even weakened by that stupid invasion the village was pulling the same number of missions without issue! It was as admirable as it was infuriating.

Pausing, the excitable woman took a deep breath. Yes, thanks to the Yondaime Mizukage they had not only lost many of their most powerful ninja, but their Biju as well. Yes, Kiri was severely weakened to the point where their position as a Kage holding nation was in jeopardy. Thinking over the details of the report one more time, the young woman began to smile wickedly. All might not be lost just yet. While Tsunade's little journey was tactically a nightmare, the fact she left in the first place could be a potential goldmine in disguise!

According to the intelligence reports, the wandering Sannin had taken on a couple of apprentices. While the boy did not appear to be that valuable, the girl was an unmarked Hyuga. If she could somehow convince them to establish themselves in Kiri, not only would the manpower issue be solved, but they might be able to establish a new branch of the Hyuga clan loyal to her! As annoying as Ao managed to make himself, his stolen Byakugan was an excellent example of what such kekkei genkai could do for a ninja. Imagine what one with full control would be able to manage!

Oh she knew it would not be easy. Theoretically, the Sannin should return to Konoha when her mysterious errand was over. But now that she was wandering and isolated, the whole group could be a huge asset to Kiri. They could gain a valuable bloodline, four medical ninjas, and a legendary kunoichi. Why, this could start sweeping changes across the land! Not to mention what a swimsuit calendar could do for their advertisements. The two hottest and most powerful women in the world would draw clients like flies!

Turning to Ao, the Godaime Mizukage snapped her fingers. "I want the Hunter Nin to send out every available squad to find Tsunade and her group. We are going to try opening negotiations to improve relations between our two countries. If that doesn't work, we will have to evaluate potential bargaining chips from among the Sannin's companions. Now go!" Bowing, the swordsman left to fulfill her commands. As much trouble as this could be, the opportunities were too juicy to ignore!

-----

Controlling her breathing, Yugito attempted to remain calm. Ever since earning her Jonin rank, the young Jinchuuriki had been working exclusively on solo missions. There were few in the village that could match her skills and thus collaboration was considered a waste of resources. Therefore, she was slightly out of practice dealing with others. As a good weapon of the Kage, she abhorred personal connections and extraneous socialization. Of course, the people she was currently dealing with HAD to be used to that oaf Bee. She could not even glare this group into submission after their acclimation to the elder Jinchuuriki. With the way things were going, she was going to have to work on that.

Removing his candy, Omoi sighed. "Jeeze, what's taking so damn long? First Samui has us check every stupid town getting here. Now she's taking hours to check out a country the size of a postage stamp. I almost wish that sensei was here. At least he knew how to keep things interesting." Twitching, Yugito made a mental note to talk with the Raikage after the mission. Either someone was tainting Omoi's sugar supply, or the kid needed a mental evaluation.

Snorting, Karui shook her head. "What are you, an idiot? We had to make sure that Tsunade chick didn't slip out in that direction. Better to move slow than have to double back later. Besides, we don't want anyone to know we were here. Samui's probably just removing any trace of her presence before we start hunting properly." Feeling an eye brow twitch at the shrieking volume, Yugito forced herself to remain calm. It would not do to start a forest fire by accident now would it?

Leaning back, the young ninja ignored his female companions while looking at the clouds. "I guess it's a good thing we're out here. Just imagine what would happen if we went into the country and met the royal family. If I met the princess, she might fall in love with me and cause an international incident. I just couldn't live with myself if I accidentally started a war over a crush." Eyes snapping open, Yugito set in to watch the show. She had seen this sort of thing happen dozens of times between the two teammates since starting the mission and anticipated the upcoming debate like a car crash. It would be morbid, but impossible to look away from.

Nostrils flaring, the dark skinned kunoichi whapped him over the head. "Idiot! As if some foreign princess would bother starting a war over you! That is just plain crazy!" Blushing, Karui started toeing the ground. "It would be much more dangerous for me to meet the Daimyo. After seeing my beauty, he might force me into retirement to become one of his mistresses! Then where would I be." Watching the young ninja opening his mouth to say something stupid, Yugito suppressed a grin. Moments like these were priceless, and could only be improved with liberal usage of popcorn!

Luckily, before things degraded any more, Samui approached the camp. "Won't you two ever quit? We should leave before your bickering gives away our position." Suitably chastised, the group began to follow the busty Jonin away from the border. The sooner they got out of this hick country the better.

Pulling parallel to the team leader, Yugito cleared her throat. Now that the floor show was done, she might as well get back to work. "Did you find anything, Samui-san? We were beginning to get worried about how long it was taking." It was important to remain polite to the one other professional in the team after all.

Sighing, Samui rubbed her shoulder in pain. "I'm afraid there was nothing conclusive. The populace has no idea where the Konoha ninja went, and the royal family owes them too much right now to help us. The only odd bit of data I was able to gather was the group is much larger than we were led to believe. I found an area that showed significant signs of training and habitation. But the traces indicated numbers in the hundreds."

Blinking, the Jinchuuriki frowned. "I doubt they would be so hard to track if we were dealing with those sorts of forces. The only thing I can think of is the use of a large number of clones for some reason. We don't know exactly how long they were here or what they were doing. For all we know the Janin incident was a happy accident. Our best bet is to start trying to track rumors and information in local towns again."

Smirking slightly, Samui nodded. "It might take a while, but we'll find them. A ninja of Tsunade's caliber would never be able to stay out of sight for long. One way or another, our mission will succeed." Returning the smirk, Yugito continued on in silence.

-----

Humming happily, Jiraiya finished the latest chapter of work after his morning inspiration. It appeared that the underground infiltrators had struck again, this time targeting a number of local stall girls in the marketplace. Dozens of cute girls covered in oil and tattered clothing had stormed in all morning to complain, too angry to care about their state of undress. He had really appreciated the way they glistened and giggled while gesturing wildly. Maybe he should spring for some materials to help those brats if Iruka was going to pull of such excellent operations.

Honestly if the day went any better he would start to get nervous. Not only had he partaken in visions of, admittedly bigoted, loveliness but the Caged Bird Seal was cracked as well! Poor Neji had shown up begging to have it removed and damn the consequences! The procedure had been tricky, but now that he knew what was involved it could be replicated as many times as he wanted. Maybe once those poor slaves saw Neji leave the Hyuga compound safely, he could get the clan under control. Having most of their fighting force removed would go a long way to curtailing the Hyuga arrogance.

Heck, Iruka's little prank had put him in such a good mood that the Toad Sage had decided to help the kid out a bit. Since he was a Hyuga, all his mission pay had been automatically transferred to the main clan account. So to give the kid a chance at a fresh start he had fronted the bill for a B-rank intelligence gathering mission and transferred it into a new account for the boy. Honestly, it would have been better to pay for an A-rank mission but he still did not have that sort of authority. Neji was smart though, so hopefully he could get back on his feet.

The really fun part, though, was that he now had the key to cracking the ROOT security seals! Enough of the traps within the Caged Bird Seal matched the techniques used by Danzou to make the process come together. He had already had a successful test run on a sample taken from the ROOT morgue, and was ready to take care of the remaining captives. Without their seal safety net, Ibiki could have them singing like canaries within a week. With that testimony, he could finally tie up any of the loose ends that old fossil left in his wake. Maybe some of the little drones could even be reprogrammed as actual Konoha ninja. It's not like they could not use the help.

Sighing, Jiraiya leaned back in his big comfy chair of doom. Now that the seal issue was out of the way, he could finally concentrate on the Uchiha Breeding Project. Ideally, a bunch of Hyuga would soon be looking for long term employment which would insure adequate protection. Coupled with some tracking and security seal work and no one would be getting their grubs on the Sharingan besides Konoha. The sooner he isolated and perfected the security involved the better.

Of course, this was the point for something to come along to complicate matters. The Uchiha were among the most paranoid bastards ever to come out of the village. Who knew what sort of traps and complications might be involved with taking their bloodline? But the only Uchiha left was in no position or mood to reveal any last minute issues they might run into. So what was the safest way to gather that information?

Blinking, the Toad Sage smirked. It might be a little cruel and heartless, but he had the perfect person for the job. Hitting his intercom, Jiraiya cleared his throat. "I want Jonin Kakashi here within the next fifteen minutes. Inform him that any tardiness will result in a broken hand and burned Icha Icha collection. After all, it's not like he can't buy more of them." Leaning back, he sighed in contentment. At least everything here was working out nicely. Without Danzou to stir up trouble, he could keep everything under control until Tsunade came back.

-----

Sitting around a small fire, the three ninja waited in silence. It had taken precious time and effort to track their target while covering all traces of their presence. While the group was cold, tired and hungry, no one made a sound. They were the elite of ROOT, and thus had no time for such simple expressions of emotion. The only thing important to them now was the success of the mission and the glory of Danzou-sama. All other things were irrelevant.

After hours of silence, the final member of the squad returned. While slightly shorter than the others, he was no less powerful. After all, few ninja could summon personal armies of animals with a simple brush stroke. "I have tracked the cargo freighter from Wave Country, and confirmed that it went on to Moon Country. However, from what data that I was able to gather the targets were not on board." Most ninja would immediately refute such a claim after spending months tracking the ship. However, most ninja were not ROOT.

Standing, the team leader addressed his subordinate calmly. "How did you arrive at this conclusion? We have been unable to board this vessel since confirming its departure from Wave Country. Without some sort of visual confirmation, all you have is conjecture." His tone held no emotion one way or the other, but you could feel the tension in the air. Wasting months tracking the wrong vessel was a disaster that Danzou-sama would not forgive lightly.

Standing as still as a statue, the younger operative replied robotically. "A sailor from the ship recently ended his contract with his captain. When pressed for details, he stated the party we are looking for entered the ship but never left their rooms. When they made dock, he was sent to check on the guests only to discover a pile of money and no people. The room was untouched and there was no damage to the walls, so it is safe to say that Tsunade never remained on the ship before it left. Logically this appears to have been a decoy operation." Despite his mask, the group felt their leaders frown at the pronouncement. The mission was now in danger of failure; that could not be allowed to happen.

Retaking his seat, the squad leader gestured to his subordinate. "I want you to send a missive to Danzou-sama at once. We need more information, if we are to complete our mission." Heading towards one of the trees, he retrieved special supplies for the communication. Upon opening one of the scrolls, however, the young boy paused. Such a lack of action attracted the attention of the entire squad.

Turning back towards the group, he maintained his calm despite the odd muscle twitch. For a ROOT member, that was the equivalent of crying out in fear. "Sir, as you requested I sent a report before entering the village to scout the ship. However, it has been several hours and no one from the base has sent a reply. I do not believe that a second attempt will be any more effective. Either someone is blocking my jutsu, or there is no one left to send a response." The resulting silence was arctic in its intensity.

Lowering his head, the ROOT squad leader considered his options. Unsurprisingly, they were very few available. "Pack up your materials and prepare to leave within the hour. Either there is a security black out in Konoha or someone has discovered how to intercept the mobile reports. Our first duty is to the mission so we will backtrack up the coast and gather data on our targets. We will not return without our mission accomplished. Before we see Konoha again, Uzumaki Naruto must be dead." Nodding silently in acknowledgement, the squad moved as one. They were no longer secure and had to leave at once.

-----

Thus, another one bites the dust. :)

After the response to the last chapter and a week s worth of energy returning after the worst of my cold ended, I couldn't help but finish this chapter early. Not only did I think that you guys deserved the treat before Halloween, but I have been pushing myself for a new challenge. For this weekend is the start of the National Novel Writing Month, and I wanted to see if I had the drive to attempt it. I still have not made my decision, but am hopeful that one way or another it will not impede progress on this story.

Now, I tried to be very proactive this time around with responding to your reviews. As always, they were a wonderful experience and I enjoyed every single one. However, while here I will try to go over the major issues that I found interesting.

First of all, no the Kyuubi is not gone nor is the seal in any danger of weakening any time soon. The reason that Naruto has not used the demonic chakra at all is simply due to the fact he does not need it. Between the weakness of his opponents and lack of opportunities to show off, using the most powerful tailed demon currently in existence is overkill. As demonstrated here though, I hope to change that before too much longer.

No, having Naruto use the Ninja Harem technique will only get him killed at the moment. The Konoha ninja are the only ones on the market relaxed enough to allow that sort of move to take them down. The Wandering Ninja Clans specialized on stealing techniques from observation. It is not a kekkei genkai, but more like a learned version of Sherlock Holmes method of information evaluation. If Naruto had tried that in Hinata s fight, the guy would have stabbed him many, many times

Yes, Naruto has not quite gotten how much his life has sucked up until now. That is changing, and the end result will be significant. But since the kid has been in serious denial for over a decade, don't expect an epiphany leading to emo-Naruto. As with all other plot points, this too will be a gradual development.

Yes, Chouji will show up eventually. I actually have a special scene planned out for the guy. Heck, I even foreshadowed it a while back. Honestly though? There are others who are so much more interesting at the moment. Nice guys don't always finish last, but he's not really at the top of my queue right now.

Finally, there is one thing that everyone has been worried about. You see, I have spent so much time building up Naruto's strength and ability, that you have not had a chance to see your favorite blonde beat the crap out of the competition. Looking over the last few chapters, I can understand your irritation, and admit the focus has drifted a little bit. So I have a promise for you, my loyal readers. Within the next adventure arc, I will construct a MAJOR Naruto fight, where he takes on impossible odds all alone. I hope that will settle your nerves just a bit.

Now then, in the next chapter! Power through effort, Konoha's latest Odd Couple, and the return of a mysterious figure! Until then, stay tuned!


	21. Ghosts of the Past, Hope for the Future

No I do not own Naruto. I would have made his first kiss be used as something other than a cheap gag.

Chapter Twenty: Ghosts of the Past, Hope for the Future

Keeping her hands steady, Hinata struggled with the green chakra covering the fish. Maintaining bursts of offensive energy during an attack was one thing, but concentrating healing chakra over a wound required much greater focus and control. Despite the difficulty, she knew that the healing palm maneuver was the basis of all medical ninjutsu and thus needed to be mastered. So for the fifth time that day she attempted to oxygenate the creature's blood while keeping its cellular structure alive. Unfortunately, for the fifth time in a row, she failed to maintain the proper balance leaving herself exhausted and the fish nearly dead.

Coming over with a slight smile on her lips, Shizune-sempai patted the girl's shoulder. "That was much better Hinata. Before, you barely kept the fish in one piece while healing it. Now, you almost successfully revived it without causing any additional damage. That is very good progress for only three days of work. As before, I must ask you to watch me complete the exercise with your Byakugan. There is no reason to waste a perfectly good fish." Disheartened, the shy Hyuga activated the technique while the elder medic revived the fish. As with all previous attempts where the creature was in one piece, Shizune had it healed within two minutes.

Looking down in shame, Hinata wondered what was wrong with her. So far, she had made great strides in mastering the medical techniques and knowledge put before her. Between studying with Naruto and lectures under Tsunade-sensei, whole books of medical knowledge were consumed within days. She was making great strides in both her offensive abilities and defensive maneuvering. Every enemy that had threatened them was taken down, with any resulting concern being settled by Naruto's kind words. Yet despite all of these gains and signs of growth, she was being trounced by a little piece of sushi! It was mortifying!

Apparently sensing her mood, Shizune released the fish before coming over to talk. Both knew that catching the next subject for training would be simply another chance for her to work on her chakra control. Maintaining a grip on living flesh without causing damage was quite difficult after all. Patting her head, Shizune smiled down at the younger apprentice. "Hinata, I'm not simply being nice. I mean it when I say you've made great progress. Why, when I first started this exercise, it took me nearly four months of constant effort. With all the extra control training that you have undertaken not only under Tsunade-sama, but your family for the Juken, you are way ahead of the curve. The only problem you are really having is maintaining the delicate balance of the energy without overloading the technique. All you need is practice, so don't worry too much, alright?" Feeling slightly mollified, Hinata returned the friendly compliments with a shy smile.

Sitting down next to the river where they had been practicing, Shizune patted the ground next to her. "Now why don't we take a small break? While you've come a long way, there is no reason to fall over from exhaustion. After resting and a quick bite, you can try to catch another specimen to practice on." Too tired to argue, Hinata collapsed on the grass. It was so nice to be outside after their virtual imprisonment in the Land of Birds; she could not help but relax.

That, of course, was when the idyllic scene was interrupted by a loud crash and explosion. Sighing, the shy Hyuga turned to her superior. "Shizune-sempai, do you have any idea how long they are going to keep this up?" Shivering slightly, Shizune's smile became somewhat forced. "Well, the last time I trained in this technique, Tsunade maintained the barrage for nearly two hours. Knowing Naruto-kun, I think we'll see them around dinner." Leaning back, Hinata prayed Naruto would be alright. Of course, after running the same course yesterday, Hinata was not that worried. Given his enthusiasm, she knew that she could plan dinner without worrying about either blonde showing up early.

-----

Cursing, Naruto jumped to the side to avoid the explosion before getting peppered by shrapnel. Baa-chan had stated that he was sufficiently recovered for more difficult training. At first, he had been thrilled that they could move on from thousands of repetitive exercises and scroll after scroll of theory. Then the Sannin had started chucking balls filled with explosive tags at him. After nearly thirty near deaths, the young blonde had sworn she was going senile. That was the point, of course that the old woman decided to up the ante. Now there were five balls in the air at any given time, interspaced with boulders.

Rearing back for another kick, his sensei was way too energetic. "Faster Naruto! You still need to avoid the impacts through instinct! Even with your healing abilities you cannot take that many direct strikes! Anticipate and feel the flow of battle!" Twitching, Naruto ducked beneath a vicious punt only to lose his footing on the rebound.

Wasting no time, Tsunade threw a fifty pound rock at his skull. "Pay attention you brat! You overdevelop you offensive strike without a defensive strategy! That sort of thinking can get you killed in the field! I did not have you playing strategy games for weeks to simply use the same old tricks! Now adapt before I end up killing you!" That was the point that the young ninja snapped.

Running in a random pattern, Naruto forced himself to feel the timing of the strikes. Despite her best efforts, Baa-chan had a tempo to her attacks that he could barely make out. Timing things carefully, the young ninja leapt forward. Barely missing each projectile, Naruto prepared to strike back. He was no crazy old woman's punching bag!

Unfortunately for him, Tsunade had not been born yesterday. As soon as he committed to his attack, the tempo of the strikes changed dramatically. Unable to adapt, Naruto was left helpless as the elder ninja closed in for a finger flick to the forehead. The young Jinchuuriki had a mere moment to curse the gods before flying across the field at terminal velocity. Then there was only blessed silence.

Blinking, he scowled at the lowered sun. That was a sign he had blacked out after the hit again! So far, no matter how hard he tried, Naruto had not managed a single hit on Tsunade. Due to the specific rules of the exercise, nothing besides basic taijutsu was allowed to be used against her. So for the first time in a while, Naruto had to endure the entire attack himself without Shadow Clones to absorb any of the damage. It was surprisingly difficult to endure.

Sitting down, Baa-chan smirked while handing him a canteen. "Well, I'll give you this Naruto. You have made some very nice strides. At your rate of speed, you might be able to land a hit in a mere five years. Remember your lessons from Sagi. A fight is about strategy and adaptation, so if you keep running into battles recklessly you'll die." Naruto really wanted to fry the old bat after that kind of teasing, but he could not quite find the energy. Besides, the last time he yelled at her during official training, he had to memorize fifteen different names for the heart. It just was not worth it when she was like this.

Checking the sun, the Hokage helped him to stand. "Alright, breaks over. Get ready to bleed brat!" Gathering his strength, Naruto grinned. The work was dirty, dangerous and painful, but he would not give it up for anything. This was the sort of training that a future Hokage needed, so the next bunch of missing ninja had better watch their backs! He was only going to get stronger from here on out!

-----

Trailing after his teammate, Neji fought to maintain his calm. While he and Lee had been working together for over a year, they were not exactly social. He would trust the kid with his life, especially after their recent training, but that did not mean that the Next Youthful Beast of Konoha was easy to deal with. However, one of the things that the young genius had determined to do after leaving the Hyuga was building stronger relationships with his peers. The fact he needed a favor had nothing to do with it in the least. That was his story and he was sticking to it like glue.

"Yosh! I must say Neji that your request is very surprising. Nevertheless, I will strive to support my youthful teammate in his time of need! Of course you can stay with me until you are back on your feet my rival!" Controlling his breathing, Neji focused past the flowery speech to the root of the matter. He had a place to crash now and would not be sleeping in a tent for the next few months.

"Thank you for understanding, Lee. While Jiraiya-sama was kind enough to give me a basic mission payment for my help in countering the Caged Bird Seal, I still do not have enough to acquire an appartment. Between food, clothing, security deposits and the like, I cannot really afford to live on my own until we start taking missions again. I assure you it will be temporary, and I will move out as soon as possible." It was slightly embarrassing to ask for help in such mundane matters, but he had no choice. With his entire mission pay being deposited in the Hyuga main account, Neji did not have any savings besides Jiraiya's act of kindness. The only money he was permitted was a small supplies allowance and a minor stipend to cover the costs of food and medicine on missions. Plus, since he was a newly emancipated adult, it was not like he could take out a loan or anything.

Smiling brilliantly, Lee opened the door to his home. "Don't worry about a thing, Neji! I have plenty of room and could use the company! Feel free to stay as long as you like!" Entering the modest apartment, Neji felt his eye twitch spasmodically. Maybe there was still time to set up a tent in training ground forty four.

It was not like the apartment was bad or anything. It was smaller than he was used to, but there was plenty of room for two people. It was a little messy, but nothing that could not be explained by Lee's frequent absences for training. He even liked the selection of training equipment spread over every surface. It was a great way to stay in shape. Unfortunately, in his exuberance, Lee had also painted every wall in sight a vibrant and shocking shade of neon green. Any surface not coated in the bloody paint was covered with inspirational posters and pictures of Lee and Gai-sensei making their nice guy pose. Just being in the room felt like drinking five espressos and fourteen pixie sticks. Could the whole apartment be like this?

Unmindful of his guest's thoughts, Lee set about straightening up a bit. "Do not fear my rival! While here you are free to share my equipment and food until you're back on your feet!" Reaching into a cabinet, the youthful ninja reached for a bottle. "Would you like something to drink? I have protein shakes, prune juice and water; all useful elixirs for stoking ones energy!" While somewhat touched by the freely given help Neji felt a major migraine coming on.

Hearing a crash, both Genin turned towards the door in surprise. Much to the young genius's chagrin, Gai-sensei was standing there in full regalia. "Neji! I have just heard about your emancipation from Jiraiya-sama! Fear not, for I will be there for you during this time of self-discovery! If I cannot make you a stronger ninja better than Hiashi I will run around Konoha five hundred times on my toes!" Blinded by the force of the youthful smile, Neji came to a simple conclusion. Having a sensei who could track you down at will, really sucked.

Moving to respond, he was cut off by an exuberant Lee. "Yosh! Never fear Gai-sensei! While Neji is staying with me, I will insure that he embraces his flames of youth! He can even start to join in our extra morning practice and participate in his own challenges! Before long, he will be stronger than all the Hyuga!" While he might find the situation somewhat annoying, Neji had to admit his teammate was rather sincere. Besides, being the strongest of the Hyuga was a rather attractive proposition.

Weeping, Gai-sensei drew his young prot g into a manly hug. "Oh Lee! You continue to make you sensei proud! Helping your youthful companion in his time of need is the sign of a true Konoha ninja! Do not fear! I will make you three the strongest ninja in the village! Soon, all will respect our grand flames of youth!" Suddenly imagining himself in green spandex running into the sunset, Neji made a decision. Attempting to bond with your teammates was all well and good, but he sure as hell did not sign up for this!

Gathering his pack, Neji sketched a quick bow to his fellow ninja. "I thank you for your generous offer to put me up, but I think that it will not be necessary. I would hate to hinder your efforts to grow stronger with such a different training ideology. I will see you at practice in the morning. Good day." Before the ferocious beasts of Konoha could even disable their sunset genjutsu, Neji was running for the hills. Reaching out to one teammate was rather problematic, so maybe he would have better luck with the other one?

-----

Stretching, Naruto unsealed his new toys. Since hitting the road, Tsunade had been working both her younger students into the ground. Among other things, both had realized that despite their major accomplishments they still had a ways to go. However, after spending so many weeks cooped up the blonde Chunin was raring to work as much as possible. After all, politics aside no one became a Hokage without being able to fight. Besides, he had promised Toki that he would work on his naginata while traveling and he always kept his promise. This was just the first lull in the action available to go about doing that.

Unfortunately, no one was around to spar with. While he could do kata till the cows came home, Naruto did not really enjoy them. In all honesty he learned more from his fights than his structured training. Doing a series of strikes did not teach you about anticipating your opponents or watching out for a variety of terrain. At least, none of the kata that he had been taught did that. However, Hinata was studying, still exhausted from her earlier training, and both Shizune-nee-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan were arguing about something. So that left him on his own as far as weapons training went. At least, it did if he stuck to the rules.

Smirking, Naruto bit his thumb. Forming the hand seals and thinking about monkeys, he called out one of his favorite ninjutsu. "Summoning Jutsu!" Looking at the elderly form of Monkey King Enma, he could not hide his grin. From Old Man Hokage's stories, Enma was a great weapon fighter! If there was anyone around who would be an awesome spar, it would be him!

Blinking, Enma narrowed his eyes at the young summoner. "What is the trouble, fox child? I see no enemy to fight or purpose for my presence. You should know that my kind are not toys to play with!" Now if this sort of dressing down had happened a couple of months ago, Naruto would have royally freaked out trying to explain himself. In the end, Enma would have beaten him up and given him a firm warning not to do it again. However, one of the things that Toki and Sagi had taught him was the necessity of dealing with major egos. Between those lessons and his natural charm, Naruto had the situation well in hand.

Smiling, Naruto scratched his head. "Well Enma-sama, it's like this. I need to get stronger and don't want to bother your family unless it's a real emergency. Regrettably, that means I need as much training as possible so no one can figure out how to beat me and hurt my precious people. While we were in Bird Country, I got some weapons training and was hoping to continue it. But, since no one else in the team really uses weapons, I was hoping that you would be willing to help me train a bit? That way, I will be strong enough not to bother you that much. Please?" The young trickster thought the teary eyes were a nice touch himself.

Blinking, Enma appeared to be somewhat mollified. "I suppose that I could show you a few things. It would make dealing with you much easier. Alright child, take a weapon and show me your stance." Grinning, Naruto picked up a naginata and posed. Toki had spent weeks beating the proper stances into his head, so this part should be a breeze! That was when the world went lopsided.

Blinking, the young blonde attempted to focus through a sudden headache. "Well, you have your basics down alright, but that is not enough to impress me. If I have to make you passable with a weapon, I am not going to hold back child. Now take your stance again and prepare yourself. This will be most painful." Turning to face the Monkey King, who was now wielding a staff, Naruto gulped. He knew this would make him stronger, but damn it would hurt!

-----

It was a very bad time to be Hatake Kakashi in Konoha. After the altercation in the Hokage's office, the Silver Haired Jonin had worried about his former students constantly. Sasuke was locked in an ANBU cell for the foreseeable future. Naruto was on the road under mysterious and difficult circumstances. Meanwhile, Sakura had made a fool of herself in front of the interim Hokage. She was lucky that Jiraiya had such a soft spot for cute girls, or that could have ruined her career. The loss of his team had given Kakashi a lot of free time. Unfortunately, it appeared that he did not have anything to do with it.

He had first realized the problem when attempting to approach Kurenai. Looking at the facts available, it was clear that Sakura was Hinata's replacement on Team Eight. Therefore, the best person to talk to about her current development was younger Jonin. After all, if anyone could help the girl it was the caring Genjutsu specialist. That plan went south the second he tried it. Upon seeing him, the younger Jonin had kept her anger limited to a glare in his direction. But when Kakashi had attempted to ask about Sakura, Kurenai had exploded. Between the swearing, verbal abuse and numerous advanced illusions, it was almost like dealing with a different person. If not for his Sharingan, the Elite Jonin might be attempting to pick the Fourth's nose on the monument while naked.

Upon escaping the woman's wrath, Kakashi had decided to check in with Asuma. As Ino's Jonin Sensei, he would have the best direct line of information on the Genin's status. But after coming upon the smoking ninja's team training, he had found himself again the target of attack. Somehow, Shikamaru had gotten quick enough with his shadows to nearly snare him. Luckily, he was able to avoid capture, but the furious Choji had almost crashed into him at full speed. Without a seal-less replacement technique, he might have been a pancake. The surprising thing was how Ino, instead of attacking him or trying to catch his mind, had released a series of tripwires that released numerous traps. Avoiding any one of the Genin was simple enough, but the inborn teamwork of Team Ten was much more difficult. Then after all that Asuma had refused to speak with him, stating that he was too busy training his team. Why, he did not even offer an apology for the unprovoked assault!

Finally, frustrated by all the hostility, Kakashi decided that a challenge fight with Gai was just what the doctor ordered. While annoying, he had to admit the taijutsu specialist kept him on his toes. Perhaps a simple, predictable conflict would allow him to get his head on straight. But upon discovering Gai in the training grounds, he had been completely snubbed! Normally, he could not pass the Spandex-wearing Jonin without a challenge or boisterous greeting tearing through the air. Now, his 'eternal rival' barely acknowledged his presence! Any attempt at conversation was met with a sigh and a look. It only took ten minutes for the confused Jonin to leave.

Feeling vastly out of his element, Kakashi had decided to go to the bar. If there was ever something that would calm him down, it was a good batch of sake and his old comrades. Thusly, he decided to hit his favorite ANBU dive which never failed to have one or two friends willing to talk about the good old days. Heck, upon entering the old hang out, he had been confronted by none other than Tenzou relaxing at the bar. Coming over to join his old friend, the silver haired Jonin was stumped when the man left without a word. Sitting at the bar, Kakashi was treated to the unpleasant sensation of being a leper.

Ever since he was a child, the Copy Ninja was known as a genius and prodigy of epic potential. As such, countless ninja worked to gain his favor and attention. While he might play it off, Kakashi had a very strong group of admirers interested in being associated with him and his legend. He would not take advantage of the situation very often, but at the least it paid for the occasional bar or restaurant tab. Now, no one wanted to know his name. It slowly began to dawn on the Jonin that people had heard about his teaching style and treatment of his students, and took offense to it. Without a team, comrades or friends, Kakashi had no one to turn to or connect with. It was the most disorienting experience in his recent memory, and had lasted for weeks.

Apparently, that was when Jiraiya decided to get in on the fun. The Hokage had decreed that a number of village women would be used to rebuild the Uchiha clan; this was final and there appeared to be nothing he could do about it. However, the Toad Sage had ordered Kakashi to accompany an ANBU team to the Uchiha property. It had been decided that he would be the best person to determine if the clan had left any information on their bloodline that could be useful for the project. With his Sharingan, Kakashi would be the most likely person to locate any hidden documentation about the bloodline. So now he was forced to use his friend's gift to plunder his legacy; oh the irony.

Nodding to his escort, Kakashi entered the Uchiha district for the first time in years. For a man who lived in the past, the number of ghosts raised goose bumps over his skin. He knew that this would be painful and agonizing, but there was no choice. He was now in exile within the village, and could do nothing but comply. All he could do was hope that nothing was there to find. That would at least allow the clan to rest in peace.

-----

Shizune had been Tsunade's apprentice for quite some time. But no matter how long she worked with the older blonde, there were still times that the woman drove her up the wall. "Tsunade-sama, please be reasonable! I know that the harder it is to find us the better, but we need a base of operations! Without a stable location, we cannot even begin to cover half of what those two need to progress! Training while traveling just is not safe!" No one should be moving around while exhausting themselves after all. That made them prime targets for attack.

Shaking her head, Tsunade met Shizune's gaze calmly. "Oh you just need to relax Shizune. I admit that moving around while learning medical ninjutsu and the related techniques is a little risky. But both you and I are more than enough to insure their safety. Keep in mind that these two are now my students and as such are required to work hard. So far both have made great strides in knowledge and control, even if Naruto's is a little questionable at the moment. I don't think that the traveling his hurting their abilities at all. What we need to worry about is attacks by Akatsuki. If we had a base of operations, that would be their first target. So now is the time to remain mobile."

Biting her lip, the brunette acknowledged her mistresses point. That did not put her at ease though. "But Tsunade-sama, there are so many things that are harder to learn on the move. Neither Naruto nor Hinata has had a chance to work with real patients yet, so their medical knowledge is purely academic. The traveling time cuts down on available chances to train in their specialties. Instead of practicing one thing until they gain mastery, you keep showing different techniques and forms of training based upon their location and the available supplies! How are they going to improve without a chance to master the material?"

Rolling her eyes, Tsunade patted her head like a child. "I admit it's not an ideal training schedule, but they are doing very well so far. Don't forget that they've had months in isolation and controlled environments. Without some variety, they will have that much more trouble adapting to difficult situations. Besides, Naruto is progressing very well, and you know that Hinata would walk through fire to help him. As far as their progress, I honestly don't have anything to complain about. At their current rate of speed, I wouldn't be surprised if they gained Jonin level within the year." Blinking at the bold claim, Shizune had to agree. Those two might not be getting a lot of socialization, but no one could call them lazy. Their rate of progression was very impressive.

Sighing, the young medic decided on another track. "Alright, Tsunade-sama, I understand your reasoning. But what should we do about Konoha? While I agree that we need to keep away for a while, some information would be very helpful right about now. At the very least we need to get in touch with Jiraiya to get an update on what he is up to. Who knows what the advisors have managed to get up to in your absence?" That was her real fear of course. Getting Naruto fully recovered and at Kage level was one thing. Returning only to find themselves considered Missing Ninja was quite another.

Snorting, Tsunade pinned her apprentice with a look. "Please, Shizune you shouldn't underestimate Jiraiya like that. While he might be a bit of a flake, the pervert is a bastard to his enemies. We'll be lucky to return in time to see those old farts executions. If there is one thing he can do, it's dig up dirt and take out enemies. We'll just keep training Naruto in chakra control until he manages to have enough to summon a messenger toad. I'm sure that Gamabunta would be a bit put out to be used on such a mundane errand. Besides, since Naruto signed the Toad Contract any messenger toad could find him, so he can still contact us if there is trouble."

Rubbing her forehead in irritation, Shizune shook her head. "Even though his control is much better, I would not be surprised if his summonings are overpowered for quite some time. His chakra seems almost denser than it should be. What if there is an emergency? It was fine when we were hiding in obscurity, but now that we are exposed in the open backup could save our life! We are dealing with S-class Ninja after all." Shizune did not know if it was stubbornness, pride or fear of reinstatement keeping Tsunade from seeing the truth but she had to see reason. They needed an update from Konoha as soon as possible!

Opening her mouth to refute the statement, Tsunade was interrupted by Naruto's shout. "Summoning Jutsu!" Turning, Shizune was shocked by the sudden appearance of Enma the Monkey King. However, watching the summon knocking the boy down only to enter a ready stance really threw her. What sort of ninja had the chakra to summon a boss for a sparring session?

Turning to her gob smacked apprentice, Tsunade smirked. "Are you still worried about us being underpowered in a fight? I think that between the four of us, Naruto will be safe and sound. So let's start working on our next destination, ok?" Blinking, the brunette could not find an appropriate comeback for that.

-----

Slumping, Kakashi entered the last building of the Uchiha inner sanctum with Sharingan blazing. He had been picking apart security seals and special genjutsu for hours now, and was almost ready for another food pill. Contrary to his hopes, the clan had many secrets hidden on their grounds. Mindful of his orders, every bit of security and special documentation that had been uncovered had been gathered for review. Just from the little he had managed to examine, the picture was not pretty.

Apparently the Uchiha had enjoyed their power a little more than their responsibilities. There were numerous documents hidden within the clan housing covering secret treaties with other clan heads, specialized smuggling routes and harboring missing ninja to name a few. Each document appeared to cover either individual Uchiha officers to look the other way or special clan decrees to enforce their position. When taken together, there was enough evidence to darken the Uchiha name for generations. If it was not for his ANBU escort, Kakashi was tempted to destroy this further desecration of Obito's legacy.

That was another problem he could not quite figure out how to deal with. Every time he turned a corner or entered a house, the Uchiha fan symbol brought images of his deceased comrade. Scenes of fighting with the boy who became a friend, training together under Minato-sensei and dealing with Rin's feelings never seemed to leave his troubled mind. This was only emphasized by the discovery of the Uchiha clan registry where Obito's name had been erased. Thanks to his final gift, the friendly Uchiha was cast off from his ancestors' memory. That only made his guilt feel twenty times worst.

Finding the official orders for the Uchiha genjutsu seals for Naruto was the lowest point of the day. Apparently the Uchiha elders had clamored for greater control over the Kyuubi, and the seal was simply one step towards that. In fact, according to the records Naruto had been sealed only once officially when he was five. The second sealing was an unofficial order made by Fugaku when Sasuke entered the Academy. The clan head had decided that no chances could be taken in regards to his son's safety and had decided to hedge his bets. In the end, it turned out to be a total waste of effort.

Sighing, he headed towards the last major location left in the compound. The Uchiha family shrine was near the center of the compound and a symbol of their family. Established during the years of Konoha's founding, the shrine became the focus of the reestablished Uchiha compound under the Nidaime. According to tradition, no one without an active Sharingan could even approach the stairs to the building without dire consequences. Noting the security seals and traps across the entrance, not all of those rumors appeared to be superstition.

Going up by himself, Kakashi entered the shrine slowly and carefully. The traps appeared to be deactivated, but better safe than sorry after all. Upon entering, he found himself underwhelmed. The furnishings were simple and the tatami mats worn, showing that Sasuke had not been taking proper care of the place. Narrowing his eyes, the Copy Ninja frowned at the floor. There appeared to be a single mat slightly out of alignment. Checking it, he was surprised to discover a hidden entrance. Suddenly, the Uchiha shrine had become much more interesting.

Heading down the secret ladder, Kakashi was surprised by the decor. The room was huge, large enough to seat nearly a hundred people comfortably. On a raised dais a series of scrolls were displayed for easy access. Lighting the room were several torches imbued with a powerful fire technique. Judging from the chakra he was seeing, each would probably burn for years without replacement. Clearly, this was a room sacred to the flame of the Uchiha.

Moving over to the dais, Kakashi began to read the scrolls. Most of them appeared to be history records for the clan and its beginnings. Some of the more recent documents dealt with the founding of Konoha and Uchiha Madara. But when he started to read about Madara's power, the Jonin froze. Judging from the lack of dust, this particular scroll had been read fairly recently, which could only mean one thing. "Oh Sasuke, how could you do something so foolish?" Silent, the hidden Uchiha meeting hall declined to answer.

-----

Tenten was known as the toughest Genin kunoichi in Konoha. While her performance in the Chunin exam left something to be desired, her abilities were still far beyond what other girls of the younger generation were capable of. The budding weapons mistress had developed a reputation of focus, strength and clear headedness that few could claim. Of course, after the fan girl fiasco of the Uchiha's graduating class the standards had fallen a bit. Still, after training with Gai-sensei for over a year, there were few things that could really fluster her. Neji with a duffle bag over his shoulder was apparently on the list.

"So wait, you want to live with me? Like, in the same apartment?" She might be clearheaded, but Tenten was still a girl. Like many of her class, she had originally developed a slight crush on the strongest Genin. That Genin just happened to be her teammate and the only reason that she had not made a move on the guy was the fear of hurting the team dynamic by his rejection. Such a sudden proposition brought back all those suppressed feelings in an instant.

Apparently unaware of her embarrassment, Neji nodded. "I apologize for the suddenness of the request, but I find myself in need of a place to stay. Without the resources of the Hyuga clan, I cannot afford an apartment or supplies. I already attempted to stay with Lee, but found the situation to be rather unstable." Slumping, Tenten sighed. Of course it was not some romantic dream come true. This was a classic Neji attitude; find the easiest solution to the problem and implement it.

Opening the door, she led him into the apartment. For a Genin, it was a pretty nice set up and could easily accommodate the two of them. Being an orphan, Tenten did not believe in elaborate furnishings or wasteful status symbols. Thus, the furniture, carpeting and paintjob were rather plain. After all, the dozens of weapon racks made up for that quite nicely.

"You can stay in the guest room for the moment, although there's not much in there. Kitchen is to the right and bathroom is to the left. Trash day alternates between Tuesday and Thursday every week, with combustibles kept separate. Any questions?" Noting the former Hyuga's inattention, Tenten felt miffed. First he uses her as a backup, and now she was just background noise? That just would not do!

Idly picking up a sword and stone, she began to sharpen the blade. Noting his twitch, the young kunoichi smirked. This was the perfect time to lay down a few ground rules. "Now, since I know that you are trying to find your own place, I won't ask for help on the rent. But remember this Neji; you are responsible for your own food and upkeep. While you are living under my roof, you are not going to be some simple freeloader. As of right now, we are roommates. So I expect you to do your fair share of the cleaning, cooking, and shopping while here. Otherwise, I might need a new practice dummy."

Returning the stone, she gave the blade a few experimental swings to test the sharpness. "Do we have an understanding?" It might not be the best manners, but she was no man's servant. Neji had been raised in nobility, and she would be happy to educate him on the realities of the commoner. Oh she was thrilled he was free of that stupid seal, but the boy needed a dose of reality. Despite what he might protest, Neji no longer had the Hyuga name to hide behind and had to realize that as soon as possible. Some indirect revenge for his attitude was just a nice bonus.

Tracking the blade, Neji nodded. "Very well, Tenten. I will strive not to be a burden on your household. Just instruct me on my responsibilities so that we can both retire." Blushing slightly at the implied imagery, Tenten started dividing up the chores. This had the potential to be a lot of fun, if she was careful.

-----

Stifling a yawn, Hinata focused on packing up her supplies. They had been using the same clearing for their training for nearly six days, and Tsunade-sensei was antsy to get back on the road. After all, there was not much point in remaining mobile for obscurity if you stayed put for too long. Right now, the group was preparing to go south, where a number of smaller countries competed for territory and prestige from the larger elemental powers. Hopefully, the missing ninja would stay away this time.

Despite a mild case of exhaustion, the shy Hyuga was in fairly good spirits. After days of effort and several exploding fish, she had managed to heal nearly eighty percent of the damage. Now that she could heal cells without destabilizing the organ structure, Shizune was sure the young medic would be succeed within the month. Judging from her response to the feat, that was some sort of record. Hinata would have to remember the tweaks her training required for her own students some day if they ended up that effective.

Speaking of the senior medic, Shizune chose that moment to approach. "If you're all set to go Hinata-chan, we have a new exercise to try out. Tsunade-sama thinks that it could help with your detail control, and wants to try it while traveling." Blinking, Hinata cocked her head in confusion. What the heck did a couple of balls have to do with chakra control?

Noting her confusion, Shizune smiled. "Now this is just an experiment, but Tsunade has decided to modify some of the Rasengan training as a control exercise. I don't know all the details of the technique of course, but the principle is quite interesting. What you are going to do is attach each ball to your arms. The goal of the technique is to keep the ball stable in the center of your palm while moving." Frowning, Hinata did as she was told. Honestly, this just seemed to be another version of the tree climbing exercise for goodness sakes!

However, upon moving Hinata realized just how hard this was. While keeping the ball was not to difficult while standing still, once you began to move both friction and inertia would begin to work against you. You could start to compensate, but the minimal mass of the sphere would cause you to overcompensate slightly, launching it into the air. She had to keep this silly ball in one place while tree jumping? This was nuts! If not for the safety string, she would probably blow through a dozen of the bloody things before mastering the training.

Sighing, Hinata secured her pack for travel. She wondered if Tsunade-sensei was impressed with her progress or annoyed by it. Every time that she made progress, it simply seemed to be an excuse for the woman to make things so much harder. If she did not have Naruto to work for, the shy Hyuga was fairly sure she would have thrown in the towel long ago. But there was no help for it now, and she would see this through the end.

Gathering at the edge of the clearing, the Chunin checked the clearing for traces or stray debris that could be traced to them. Smiling she nodded to her sensei. At least that was one thing taken care of. Returning her nod, Tsunade turned to the rest of the group. "We'll be heading down towards the plains of the old Neck Country. There are some small isolated valleys near the border that will make for a nice training ground, so we should be able to work there for a while. Questions anyone?"

Nodding, Naruto held up his hand. "Yeah Baa-chan, when are we going near a city again? I've promised Hinata-chan a date and I always keep my word!" Blushing at his boldness and shining smile, Hinata barely acknowledged the Hokage's snippy reply. What was she worried about again? She had a date with Naruto-kun to look forward to! Absently setting up her training aides, the young Hyuga rushed into the trees with a spring in her step.

-----

Smiling, Jiraiya glanced over the young Inuzuka. Hana was one grade A babe, but it really was time to get her out of the village again. The arguments with Tsume were beginning to degenerate into public brawls, and the village really did not have the resources to keep up the repair missions. "Alright, Hana-chan I've got a good one for you. Some travelers have been going missing around the borders of the old Neck Country. Apparently, there has been a small bandit presence down there for a while but no one wanted to pay for a mission." News that meant he had to go over the information network of the village with a fine tooth comb if such data was being misplaced.

Blinking, Hana eyed him warily. "What has changed Jiraiya-sama? Your average civilian doesn't go from ignoring a problem for years to springing for a ninja. That sort of thing is usually more trouble than it's worth." Smirking, Jiraiya shook his head. For a ninja veterinarian, Hana-chan sure was perceptive.

"That's a very good deduction, Hana-chan. It appears that a small group of nobles got lost near the danger zone a few days ago. The local lord is not exactly made of money, so he sent his own men in to search first. None of the soldiers were lost, but the missing people weren t found either. This is just the sort of thing that your nose would be perfect for. Of course, there is one other reason you might be interested in the mission." Ah, the look of annoyed anticipation! That was just the sort of thing that made his day!

Leaning forward, the Toad Sage lowered his voice a bit. "While I'm stuck here, I can't get in touch with my normal sources on a regular basis. But I've recently heard that my old teammate had to leave her most recent hidey hole. If I know Tsunade, she will be relocating as quickly as possible to insure the stability of her cover. Funny thing is, Neck Country just happens to be one of the possible routes she could take. So this could be an ideal opportunity to track her down after completing your mission, don't you think?" The ferocious grin was all the answer he needed.

Leaning back, he cleared his throat. "Now Hana-chan, if you do happen to run into the group, remember that scroll I gave you. With that sort of identification, Tsunade will at least give you the time of day. Of course, I expect you to complete you mission first, but once she opens the document's seal, I will know that you've made contact. I just hope you know what you're getting into here. Tsunade can be a tough cookie to crack."

Straightening her back, Hana pinned him with a look. "I don't have any issue with her mission or the distance. As long as it keeps me away from the Uchiha's swimmers, I'd be willing to marry her little brat of an apprentice. That is, if I didn't know Hinata would kill me for it. By your leave, Jiraiya-sama." Watching the shapely backside walk out the door, Jiraiya let out a sigh. Letting THAT get out of Konoha was a true crime against the gods!

-----

Author's Notes

Well, that was fun :)

For those of you who are curious, yes I'm trying out National Novel Writing Month. It's slow going though, and I don't like my chances at the moment. So I decided to release another chapter of this to clear my mind a bit. Hopefully, after the reaction to the last chapter, this will make some people happy :)

Now to do my favorite part of the Author's Notes: Answering your questions and comments! I try to respond to all of the reviews that I can, but here's a more general overview of some of my favorite concerns.

Firstly, I'm afraid that many people will be unhappy but there is no easy way to say this. No, I have no plans to have every village attack the group at the same time! Each confrontation will be mostly isolated, although there will be some overlay, but I assure you that things will be kept interesting. Although, if given enough incentive, I might be willing to write an out-take concerning such a situation. -_-;;;

Secondly, about that kiss with Toki. Hinata was still a little stunned by the quality of her gift, and was still having issues with the idea that she had some right to claim Naruto as her own. When Toki responded in that context, the shock kept her from attacking the Princess. Of course, it was a close thing there for a second.

Thirdly, umm yes actually. Naruto will be getting a weapon that you will recognize. But that is going to take a bit. He's busy enough with Enma at the moment.

Fourthly, yes I will tell him his heritage. No that won't be for a while. Patience, I beg of you!

Now, at the risk of sounding a little self-absorbed, I am thrilled with the huge number of people who have read and reviewed this story. As you might have noticed, we passed one thousand reviews, and it brings a tear to my eye. So, if anyone has any time to spare, I was wondering if you might be interested in fan-art? I don't know if I've reached that level of respectability yet, but if someone PM's me a link to Artwork inspired by this story, I will be happy to post it on my main information page. (As long as it is appropriate please -_-;;;)

Now, before I return to the trenches, I will leave you with a small preview of the next chapter!  
A surprise meeting, and of course the answer too many people's question, "Whatever happened to Ino-chan?" Stay tuned! :)


	22. Surprise Meetings

No I don't own Naruto. But tell me, is this good enough yet that you wish I did?

Chapter Twenty One: Surprise Meetings

Whistling, Naruto leapt from tree to tree behind Shizune-nee-chan. They had been traveling for a couple of days now, and were almost at the edges of Neck Country. According to Baa-chan, the land was sparsely populated and consisted mostly of barren plains. There had been a really nasty war here about fifty years ago, and not much was left after the battles. So of course it was the perfect place to practice the Summoning Jutsu in peace. Soon, he would be able to master the use of Toads, Monkeys and Slugs without worry. That was loads cooler than a genjutsu that made people stab themselves in the eyeball.

Still, he was shocked at how well that technique had worked. When he had asked Shizune-nee-chan about it, she could only state that he must have overloaded the bastard. Honestly, Naruto did not know how to take that. Was he really using too much chakra in the genjutsu? Or were his emotions that much more depressing than normal? Thank goodness for his friends! Who knew what he would turn into without them? Now he was tempted to unleash some really nasty pranks when he returned to thank the civilian population for their treatment. Pausing for a moment, he decided that food coloring, wet newspaper, and gas bombs would make a good start.

Of course, he was pulled from his evil planning by Hinata-chan's startled shout. "Sensei! There is a ninja coming in our direction really fast from the south, and they're not alone!" Given that every other ninja they had met recently had tried to kill them that could not be good. Jumping down to the ground, Naruto hid behind a tree waiting for the attack.

Tsunade-baa-chan slipped behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Alright Naruto, I'm not too worried about a single ninja. However, I want you to be ready for anything. You've come a long way, but if I say run you're only response should be how fast. Do you understand?" Feeling the sudden increase in pressure, Naruto could only nod. If it was really difficult, he would just ignore her later.

The group did not have long to wait. About five minutes after Hinata's warning, a ninja came out of the trees to land in front of them. She was in her late teens with two notable tattoos on her cheeks. long brown hair, dark eyes, and a fit body emphasized by a Chunin vest, Naruto could honestly say she was hot. Of course, her cool gaze and three large dogs were a bit nerve wracking. Clearly, this was one Kunoichi that you did not piss off.

Looking a bit closer, Naruto wondered why she looked so familiar. There was something about her face that just seemed to be tickling the back of his brain. Eyes widening, the young blonde suppressed the need to snap his fingers. Those were the same facial marks that Kiba had! Maybe they were related? Other than the obvious physical differences, they did look a bit alike. Of course, the ninja dogs were a good clue as well.

Looking in their direction, the unknown ninja called out. "All right, Tsunade-sama you might as well come out. I've been trying to find you for two days already, so let's not make this difficult. I'm here on behalf of Jiraiya and, no matter how annoying Kiba's been lately, I'm sure that Hinata-chan would be willing to vouch for me." Blinking, Naruto looked up only to see the Hokage wince at the tone. It appeared that the jig was up.

Coming out in the open, Hinata surprised them all by giving the ninja a small hug. "Hana-san, it's been too long. I hope that you are doing alright?" While slightly bashful, the greeting had been pretty damn warm for Hinata-chan. Just who was this girl?

Smirking, the older kunoichi patted her on the head. "Hinata-chan, I've told you to just call me Hana. It's good to see you too. Kiba's been whining something fierce since you left. We'll talk later." Glancing at Tsunade, the Inuzuka frowned. "First, I need to have a small chat with the Hokage." Blinking, Naruto decided that getting in the way was a very bad idea. He had not heard a woman that politely pissed in years!

-----

Ino would be the first to say that Anko was a very scary woman. After accepting her as a student, the snake Kunoichi had been working the blonde into the ground every chance she got. When she was not protecting Naruto's apartment or working with Team Ten, Anko would make a point of grabbing her for some fun. In her case, fun meant anatomy lessons, pressure point manipulation and flexibility exercises. Of course, that did not include being her personal target dummy or punching bag. There were days where the young Genin felt like one big walking bruise.

On the other hand, she had to admit the routine was effective. Each training session with Asuma-sensei felt easier and easier. Shikamaru could still capture her, but Chouji was becoming very easy to deal with. Despite his renewed determination after the Sasuke retrieval mission, she was able to avoid his slower punches on instinct now. As a result, not only did he work more on his speed, but Shikamaru was forced to develop new strategies to take advantage of her new skill set. Not feeling like the weakest on the team was a huge load off her mind.

However, now Anko was taking her on the weirdest training session yet. But instead of learning how to kill or hurt people to maximum ability, they were having a lecture. The topic was just so out of character it still threw the blonde for a loop. "Alright Ino, I think that this one matches your eyes while staying dark enough to blend in. Go and try it on." The terrifying torture expert had taken her clothing shopping. That was just plain freaky.

Putting on the selected garment, Ino looked over her image in the mirror. Over her normal purple outfit was a traveling cloak of a darker navy blue with matching gloves. It had to be the most concealing thing she had ever seen, although it did have an interesting bit of style. "Anko-sensei, why am I wearing something like this? I mean, you can't even see my figure or anything!" Hey, she was proud of her body and covering it like this seemed like a crime against nature.

Smirking, Anko bopped her on the head. "Kid, don't forget who you are talking to. Why don't you try moving around a bit and see what happens, ok?" Blinking, Ino decided to see what would happen. Moving into a taijutsu stance that she had been working on, the young blonde was surprised when the cloak parted easily, flashing some skin. Moving through the movements slowly, she was rewarded with the occasional flash of skin or hint of purple. It was actually fairly interesting.

Nodding in apparent satisfaction, Anko patted her shoulder. "You see kid; a good kunoichi will try to distract their opponent as much as kick their asses. While I admit that you'll have the build to pull off that getup in a few years, right now you are a pre-teen girl. It's best to hint at something rather than advertise your current shortcomings to the world. After all, we all can't be as blessed as Tsunade ne?" Blinking, Ino fought off a blush. Somehow, Anko always knew how to get under her skin. It was truly maddening sometimes!

Continuing her lecture, Anko paid the ninja goods dealer as they left the store. "The trick with seducing or distracting an opponent is to hint at something. If you just list your services out in the open, you might as well be a hooker. But a wink here, a nudge there and boys will be imagining the sheer ability you should possess! Once you develop a proper look, no man or woman can resist you getting close and slitting their throats. Heck that's one of the best parts of the job!" Noting the shine in her eyes, Ino gulped. Discovering just how flexible Anko could be at times was very distracting.

Sighing, Ino followed her sensei to her favorite Dango place. It might be a little crazy, very painful and quite embarrassing, but she had to admit the woman was a great Sensei. In fact, with a bit more work she might ask Sakura for another sparring session. A part of her was curious to see who had the better kunoichi instructor, and another part of her wanted to see who was really stronger. With all these things floating in her head, she could be forgiven for ignoring the slight twinge in the back of her mind. After all, who would actually be following her in the middle of the village?

-----

Eyebrow twitching, Tsunade looked at the younger kunoichi in irritation. "Let me get this straight. You want to be attached to this mission to get out of being a mother to one of the new Uchiha?" Somehow, that was not quite what she remembered signing into law. Just what had Jiraiya been doing back home?

Meeting her gaze calmly, Hana nodded her head. "Most of the clans have rejected the idea of the breeding program. Either they lack a suitable candidate or have issues with compatibility for the Sharingan. Unfortunately, mom has gotten it into her head that a bunch of loyal Inuzuka with the Sharingan is just what the village needs. The hints that she has been dropping are just shy of direct orders, and I don't have enough support to put her off in Konoha. So Jiraiya thought I could help you out in the field, avoiding the issue altogether."

Frowning, Tsunade turned again to the scroll the younger kunoichi had presented her. The code phrases, recognition signs and handwriting were clearly Jiraiya. There was no reason for her teammate to include such a request, no matter how cute the involved girl was. Looking over the ninja dogs, the Sannin bit her lip. Of course, there was that one incident with the Inuzuka clan that had made the Toad Sage wary around dogs' years ago. If she remembered his last physical correctly, there were still bite marks in some very uncomfortable places. Maybe she had simply taken advantage of his nervousness?

Sighing, she rubbed her temples in irritation. "Ok assuming that your orders are legitimate, why should I allow you to come along? This group already sticks out like a sore thumb for obvious reasons. Don't you think that a set of ninja hounds might increase our chances of being detected? The smaller our numbers the easier it is for us to move around safely. Why should I accept the additional risk?"

Sniffing, Hana rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you know that I could be a great help. There is a reason that Inuzuka, Aburame and Hyuga make such good teams. We each cover each other's weaknesses and complement one another's strengths. With me around, you wouldn't have to rely upon Hinata's eyes and I assure you that my sensory range is far greater than my brothers. With an additional tracker, you would be that much more secure from an enemy attack. There are those who can get around the Byakugan, and having another way of sensing others would shore up your defenses. It's not like the composition of this little party hasn't made the rounds of the entire freaking Elemental Countries by now."

Frowning at the disrespect, Tsunade's response was interrupted by Shizune's hand on her shoulder. "It's a little blunt Tsunade-sama, but Hana-san does make some good points. Another guard and tracker would help out a lot. Our opposition hasn't been too bad yet, but things could get worse at any moment. Besides, we could use some up to date intelligence from Konoha. Clearly, Jiraiya-sama has been busy while we've been gone."

As much as she wanted to argue with her apprentice, Tsunade was forced to admit she had a point. It had just been so much fun working with such talented ninja and getting into trouble like the old days. Hana was an unknown interloper that she had never dealt with before in any capacity. Adding her into the mix could change the whole dynamic into who knew what. Still, it might not be too bad, and it technically was her fault in the first place. Who knew that the decree would be used like that?

Slumping in defeat, Tsunade closed her eyes in resignation. "Alright Hana, we'll see how it goes. In the meantime, I want a full report on how things are going back in Konoha. Who knows what that idiot toad boy will get into next, so we'd better find out what he's done so far. After we evaluate that, we will talk about your future with us. Does that sound fair?" Despite her innocent question, the blonde made a point of cracking her knuckles. No matter how pissed the girl was, she was not in control here. Gulping, Hana was quick to spill her guts.

-----

Observing his offspring, Inoichi frowned in concern. When Ino had originally mentioned a long term mission, he had not given the issue much thought. Between dealing with the clan, rebuilding the village, and everything else going on, the Yamanaka clan head did not have time to worry about every little thing. But discovering that his precious little girl was squatting in Uzumaki's apartment as a sign of rebellion, had completely thrown him. While head strong, the girl had never sought to undermine him directly before. It was an unwelcome surprise.

Still, he could understand the sentiment. The clan's actions concerning Naruto's treatment must have looked deplorable to someone without all the facts. He did not know if knowing about the Kyuubi would have swayed Ino to toeing the party line or not, and frankly he did not care. Ino was effectively cut off from her family until a resolution could be determined. Even with the involved clan politics, he missed his baby girl.

Unfortunately, the lines had been drawn in the sand. He could not try to reconcile with the younger blonde until the clan recanted its public decision concerning Kenshin. Despite his power and preferences, that was impossible at the moment. He could lose his position as the head of the clan at least if he tried to overrule the others over personal feelings. On the other hand, Ino-chan could give up her hard-line position and return his home. If that occurred, he would do everything in his power to protect her from reprisals. But knowing Ino, the sky had a better chance of turning purple at noon than her changing her mind. It was a horrible lose-lose situation.

It was not like he could approach Jiraiya-sama to end the mission. As the interim leader of the village, the Sannin was well within his rights to assign ninja to any mission that struck his fancy. Of course, the fact that Ino had received this particular mission was obviously no coincidence. As a Jonin and Clan Head, Inoichi understood the message loud and clear. He would not be getting any help from that quarter.

Now this new development was only making things that much worse. Anko was a trusted member of the ninja force, but her past had caused all sorts of complications. From a tactical standpoint, none of the ninja thought that she was a sleeper agent anymore. If there was ever a time to activate such a tool, it was the recent attack. That did not mean that the shadow of her previous master Orochimaru was forgotten. A very large section of the population still looked down on the Kunoichi for his actions, and that undermined her reputation significantly. In fact, next to Uzumaki himself, Anko was the biggest pariah of the village.

It was not like he had anything against the two, but being associated with Anko and Naruto would only harm his daughter's prospects down the road. As a father, he had to do what was best for his child whenever possible. The simple fact that her current path would make things very complicated for Ino-chan in the future and he wanted to stop it. Unfortunately, he was stuck while Ino was acting out like the teenager she was. All in all, the situation was maddening.

Leaning back against the wall, Inoichi made a decision. He would approach Ibiki-kun to have a chat with Anko. Ino should be safe and sound in the Interrogation Department, protected within Konoha. The prospect of her turning into a crazy assassin who liked the taste of blood was just too horrible to bear. As Ino's father, he had to do the best possible job protecting his child. Although, he doubted that she would see it like that.

-----

Leaning back, Naruto watched the group of kunoichi talk to one another. He and Hinata had been banished to the side of the clearing once Hana demanded to speak with the Hokage. Left to their own devices and lacking anything to do, he had decided to perform one of his favorite activities. Bug someone to fill in the blanks. "Hey Hinata-chan? How do you know this Hana chick anyways? I've never seen her around the village."

Blushing, Hinata started to poke her fingers in tempo. It was cute, but he was curious why talking about this made her nervous. "Well Naruto-kun, Hana is the older sister of Kiba-kun. When we all made Genin, he invited me and Shino-kun over for a party at the Inuzuka home to celebrate. Sometimes she helps us with our training or throws out tips for Kiba for his family jutsu. She's always been friendly whenever we meet and she makes a good sempai. Although she does like to tease a bit, it's all in good fun."

Smiling, Naruto let out a breath of fresh air. At least Hana did not sound like she would be any trouble to be around. There was one thing about the whole situation that made no sense, however. "Still, I can't believe that Kiba! How the heck did such a mutt end up with the hottest sister in the class?" Noting his friend's deepening blush, the sly blonde hid a smirk. Sometimes it was just too easy to rile her up. Although, it was not that he did not stand by his statement one hundred percent.

"Ummm, Naruto-kun? What exactly do you think is hot about Hana-san?" Blinking, Naruto turned to the normally shy Hyuga in shock. While she had been getting better, that was the boldest question he had ever heard Hinata ask. He must have been a corrupting influence like all the parents always warned their kids about. Preening, the young blonde took a moment to buff his nails. He really was just that awesome!

Pretending to think about it Naruto decided to drag things out a bit. "Well, I am a guy Hinata-chan. Hana has a lot going for her. She's in good shape, cute, nice build and very strong. I mean, when you're just talking about looks, that girl has tons going on. What's really not to like?" Seeing Hinata withdraw into herself, Naruto almost felt bad. But damn it if he was not speaking the truth! Sakura would have already belted him for being a pervert, but Hinata was just embarrassed. If there was one thing he had learned from occasionally hiding in a henge, it was that the strong and confident girls survived and the wall flowers shriveled up. Best to make sure that Hinata would get over it now while he had the chance.

Gathering herself, Hinata met his laughing gaze with surprising strength. "Do you have a favorite?" Quirking an eyebrow at the force behind her question, Naruto was impressed. Hinata really was much stronger than he had given her credit for. Some honesty was only fair.

"Well, I have to admit that I like to look as much as the next guy. I just try not to be a pervert about it. Peeping on someone in the baths is just plain creepy. But at the same time, if a girl is showing off a bit with how they dress or move, who am I not to indulge a bit?" Seeing her blush, he grinned. Observing Hinata's workout routine had been one of his guilty pleasures since the Land of Vegetables. There was nothing dirty about it. He was just enjoying the view, and apparently she had noticed and approved. At least, she had not asked him to stop.

Getting serious again, Naruto reached over and forced the girl to meet his gaze once again. "But Hinata, the one thing I like more than anything else is when a girl smiles. When someone smiles, really smiles with true happiness, there is nothing better in the world." He had precious few people who had truly smiled at him over the years, and he valued each one. Having boobs like Tsunade-baa-chan did not make you beautiful. Smiling in joy for a precious person's survival did.

Licking her lips, Hinata closed her eyes for a moment. Curious, Naruto leaned in to see what was wrong. Then, he sat back stunned. Hyuga Hinata was smiling at him. The hyperactive felt his mouth go dry in an instant. He had never seen a look of such joy directed at him. It was rather unnerving, but at the same time, liberating. "Hinata-chan?"

Not responding, the young girl simply smiled harder. Naruto began to get dizzy, flushing under the strength of her expression. Reaching over, Hinata pushed his chest lightly, toppling him over into the tree. "I'm glad you like my smiles so much. I would love to smile for you whenever you wanted." Blinking, all the boy could do was grin back, confused but happy.

-----

When the average ninja heard about Ibiki, they usually squirmed in fear. He was the acknowledged master of being a ruthless bastard. Most of the time, they made a point of avoiding him in the hallways, and keeping a low profile while he was on the street. In fact, outside of the T & I division, most people would refuse to speak with him unless absolutely necessary. Honestly, the scarred torture expert did not mind the reaction. It simply made his job that much easier in the long run. But it did put him in a difficult position when his friends had issues with one another. It was not like he had a whole lot of them to lose. Therefore, when Inoichi asked for a meeting, he had no choice but to agree.

Leaning back, Ibiki was thankful for the powerful sound proofing lining the walls. It would be very distracting for his people if they could hear the blonde's rant over the screams of their subjects. "I understand that normal teenage girls need to act out every now and then, but this is just ridiculous! You have no idea how much pressure I am under to censure her in front of the clan. But now, she decides to train under Anko without even telling me! I don't have any problem with the woman, but a lot of the village does. Ino-chan has no idea what this could do to her career down the road. Please Ibiki! You have got to talk her into stopping the training before it's too late!"

Pinching his nose, the scarred special Jonin sighed. "Why should I tell Anko that? She's an excellent Kunoichi, and from what I can tell Ino is learning more from her than Asuma. Honestly Inoichi, this is not some phase or teenaged acting out. You daughter is angry at the clan and this is the most effective revenge she can indulge in at the moment. Even given who Uzumaki is, you have to admit she has every right to be ashamed of her family right now. It's one of the perks of being young and naive. After all, as clan head it's your job to fix this. Compromise is not even an issue."

Reaching over a stack of reports, Ibiki retrieved a fairly thick folder. "The worst part is that she thinks that the Yamanaka clan is already an enemy. These are requests Ino put in for interrogation transcripts to continue her mission. Every one of them involves some level of the Sandaime's Law, so her requests were rejected. But as far as she knows, there is a malicious cousin or uncle flubbing her reports out of spite. She was this close to initiating a field interrogation just to get some straight answers. In fact, if Anko wasn't there right now, she might just try again. Without some direct action on your part, there is no reason to disbelieve her hypothesis."

Blinking, Inoichi leaned forward with a frown. "Why the heck would she need interrogation reports? All she's really doing is house-sitting for Uzumaki. It's not like she needs them for tips on paint jobs or something. What's going on in that house?"

Rolling his eyes, Ibiki gave him a look. "Oh don't be so green, Sensei. That apartment has been attacked dozens of times since she set up shop. Some are trying to get back at the 'demon brat' while others are angry that she's snubbed the Yamanaka clan. That little wives tale about Kenshin has given you quite a bit of celebrity after all. Between the attacks and the bans at the market place, she was going nuts. Keep in mind that this was before Anko had even intervened. Your little princess has been dealing with all sorts of crap from the civilian population, and now she has a mentor capable of helping her through it. Asking Anko to stop training her is probably the worst thing I could do at this point." He did not usually rant this much, but Inoichi was too focused right now. He really needed to see the big picture.

Freezing, Inoichi's eyes turned flinty. "Civilians are acting as vigilantes against my daughter? My daughter, who just happens to be a ninja of good standing performing her mission? Obviously, these valued citizens of Konoha need a small lesson in good behavior. I might be a little out of practice, but I believe that I could do a little volunteer work for old times' sake. Why don't you take me to the latest patriot?" Looking at his old sensei, tall and focused, Ibiki smothered a chortle of glee. It might be a conflict of interests, but he did not really care. It would be a cold day in hell before he missed a chance to see a true master at work.

-----

As an apprentice of one of the Sannin, Shizune had dealt with many strange and unusual things. Tsunade's knowledge of the medical world sometimes bordered on mystical, and her training reflected that in the later stages. But nothing that she had seen or done could prepare her for Hana's report. "Jiraiya managed to kill Danzou while making the Advisor Council performs D-ranked missions? How is he getting away with this?"

The younger Kunoichi shrugged. "This Danzou guy might be well connected, but he was pretty secretive. I've never even heard of him before. Something that geezer did really pissed off the ANBU though, because they have been following Jiraiya's orders without question ever since. Normally, Homura or Koharu might have gotten someone to help them out, but no one is willing to compromise. Honestly, that old pervert controls most of the ninja population without complaint right now."

Snickering, Tsunade-sama was grinning like a madwoman. "I knew that Jiraiya could get the job done. Not only is that one-eyed bastard dead, but those two idiots are painting fences and chasing house pets! This is just too much!" That being said, the Sannin descended into riotous laughter. Clearly, she was going to need a moment to regain her composure.

Sighing at her mistresses antics, Shizune turned to Hana. "So what else has been happening? We've been gone for nearly four months, and I doubt that Jiraiya would manage to keep himself occupied with such limited projects. Has he authorized co-ed bathing, or changed the standard Kunoichi uniform yet? Oh, and please don't tell me that he altered that old marriage law to allow polygamy. Tsunade-sama told me he once offered the Sandaime specially autographed copies of his work to push that through, and it was only her intervention that prevented it from being passed."

Blinking, the young Inuzuka looked at her sideways. "No, Jiraiya hasn't been doing anything like that. There have been enough other things going on that I don't think that he's had the time. At least, he hasn't indulged while in the Hokage's office, that much I can tell you." Gulping, Shizune decided that the smart thing would be not to ask how she knew that.

Shrugging, Hana cracked her neck in irritation. "I've been trying to keep busy out of Konoha for the most part. All I can do is repeat the highlights. Some of the stuff is official, some are rumors and gossip. It's up to you to contact Jiraiya and find out what's real or not." Sitting down, the young woman began to talk.

Shizune was finding it harder and harder to stand as the story began. Yamanaka Ino was squatting in Naruto-kun's apartment in protest of her family's behavior? Kakashi was being shunned by the entire Jonin and ANBU community? The Caged Bird Seal was broken and Neji emancipated from his clan? More had happened in Konoha during the last few months than the last thirty years! This was beyond belief!

Finally, they got to the heart of the matter. "Please Tsunade-sama, let me come along. Ever since Jiraiya enacted that breeding option for the Sharingan, mom has been impossible to deal with. She sees the kekkei genkai as a way to protect future generations of Inuzuka, and is getting more and more forceful about enforcing it. She's the Alpha of the clan, and I can only avoid following her demands for so long before I am forced to fight her. Not only do I not think I could win, I don't want to hurt the woman over something so stupid. If I join your mission, then there won't be a chance for me to join before all the candidate slots are taken."

Biting her lip, Tsunade sighed. "Alright, this wasn't what I wanted to have happen. The whole breeding idea was just a political maneuver to distract the clans while we made our escape to help out Naruto. On the other hand, we still have our responsibility to insure his safety, and I am not convinced that he is ready for the challenges he will have to face. So here's what we'll do. Right now, you are on a mission to deal with some missing persons. We do not know where these people are, who might have found them or what the situation is. The only reason you are being dispatched at all is desperation and a lack of options. So we'll accompany you, and if we can work together, you can come along. If not, then I'll send you back to Konoha to deal with your mother personally. We don't have time to play games, and I am giving you one shot to prove useful. Do you understand?"

Bowing, Hana smirked. "Tsunade, if it meant avoiding a fate as a breeding bitch, I'd help train Naruto in practical Sex Ed. Now let's go. I got a scent of one of the missing persons about a mile back, and the sooner we get that straightened out, the better." Blushing a bit at the younger woman's bluntness, Shizune left to get Naruto and Hinata ready. If all went well, this would not blow up like the last two times they had attempted a nice, simple mission.

-----

Leaning back, the Konoha civilian relaxed in the ANBU cell. This was his fifth attempt to trash the demon's apartment since that little blonde bitch had moved in, and he was getting tired of losing. Ino was just some little brat of an airhead around the marketplace. Who knew that she could be that good with traps? So far he had been wrapped in wire, tarred, knocked out with sleeping gas, and wrapped up in snakes! This was getting freaking insane!

Oh, he was not too worried about his confinement. As a citizen of Konoha, he had a lot of leeway in terms of insulting the ninja community. The Hokage's had always made a point of connecting with the average citizen, and were very harsh on any ninja that tried to hurt them. Without a normal jail, the ANBU could hold him but not do much else. He would stay here for another week or two, and then they would have to cut him loose to conserve space. Without a store, it was not like he had a lot of options on how to spend his time. Plus, while he was in jail, his neighbors would make a point of taking care of his family. They all knew how vital it was to not only keep the little brat from coming back, but to drive Ino back to her family. The whole situation was a disgrace.

Hearing someone walking by, the citizen straightened up. He was alone at the moment, so they were probably here to let him go. After all, it was not like there was any other reason for ninja to visit besides food and lunch was only an hour ago. However, he was shocked when Yamanaka Inoichi himself came through the door. This was better than he could have hoped!

Forcing himself to stand, the unassuming man bowed low. "Yamanaka-sama, it is a pleasure! I have always enjoyed shopping at your store and am honored by the brave actions of you clan! I am sorry that I was unable to remove your daughter from that filthy demon's home, but I assure you that Konoha is behind you! With some more time, I'm sure that Ino will return home!" Smiling, the citizen waited for the praise that such frank sucking up usually incited. So imagine his surprise at being viciously backhanded.

Left on the floor with a fractured jaw, all he could do was listen through the sudden pain. "I don't know what exactly is in the water to make you think that your actions would be appreciated. Ino-chan and I might have some differences of opinion right now, but I would never condone an attack on her! She is my baby girl, and you and your friends have been continuously assaulting her position for weeks now. What could you possibly have to say for yourself that would make that alright?"

Looking into the elder ninja's steely gaze, the man tried to string together an explanation. Forcing his mouth to move, the civilian ignored the resulting stream of saliva. "But Yamanaka-sama! You know what that demon is capable of. Who knows what sorts of danger your daughter is being placed in while watching its den? We have to drive her away from there, if only for her own safety!" After all, it was for the best that no one deals with that monster more than absolutely necessary. Look what he had been willing to do to his own teammate!

Cracking his knuckles, Inoichi seemed less than impressed with his reasoning. "All I see is an attack on a loyal Konoha ninja in the course of performing her duty. I might not really like Uzumaki, but that does not give you carte blanche to attack my daughter. In fact, it brings to question whether or not you are actually a Konoha civilian. After all, any civilian of this village knows better than to attack an on duty ninja. Therefore, I am recommending that both I and Ibiki-kun have a long chat with you to determine any hidden loyalties." Looking at the elder blonde's resolute expression, all the civilian could do was whimper.

-----

Following the younger kunoichi, Tsunade suppressed a yawn. This was a major pain, but hopefully it would not take too long. As an Inuzuka, Hana was ideally suited for recon and tracking, so the Hokage did not have any issues with her ability to complete the mission. No, her group would probably not be needed, but that was not the point. She was simply using this opportunity to really see if Hana had skills useful enough to warrant her inclusion in their party.

The woman's earlier arguments were all good ones. With her help, they would have to rely less upon Hinata-chan for safety. She would also provide another level of protection that the various interested parties would not be ready for. Both of these facts would insure that they would be able to handle much more if they ran into further trouble. Plus, it would be another pretty girl to fluster the brat with. Even with Hinata making such cute strides in their relationship, this could add a new level of fun to the drama.

On the other hand, she did not have any direct knowledge of Hana's fighting ability. Assuming that someone was strong simply from reports or a clan name was a surefire way to be disappointed. Not to mention that it was much harder for an Inuzuka to blend in with the general population. Between the facial tattoos and canine companions, Hana would stick out like a sore thumb in the cities. They would be returning to civilization soon, damn it and she would not allow one Kunoichi to ruin it. She had not properly indulged in gambling or sake in weeks!

Noting the young woman had stopped, Tsunade signaled for the others to halt as well. Sniffing the air and listening to her dogs, Hana narrowed her eyes. "The trail is a little weak, but it's getting stronger. However, I'm picking up a small amount of old blood so we should be careful. My companions think it's from the same direction as the missing people, but it's too faint to be theirs."

Sighing, Tsunade shook her head. "I think I know what you're picking up. About fifty years ago, there was a huge battle that wiped out the leadership of the Neck Country. It wasn't large to begin with, and that last fight destabilized the entire region. Over time, this area has been more or less annexed by the surrounding territories. But there is so little here besides some scenery, that no one has gone through the trouble of trying to settle it. This whole area is effectively abandoned wasteland. Without fresh industry or settlement, you might be picking up traces of that battle."

Sighing, the younger Inuzuka resumed her tracking efforts. It was not even half an hour later before the group was brought up short again. In front of them was a massive castle, worn by the elements but in surprisingly good shape. For such a location, this was most unusual. It went without saying that unusual often meant dangerous in the ninja world. "Alright, the trail ends at the building. We're not picking up any trails leaving the area, so if those people are still alive, they must be inside. What do you want to do, Tsunade-sama?"

Frowning, the Hokage went over her options. This whole situation stank, but they did not have a lot of options. She could not very well leave Hana to deal with this by herself if it was a trap. Hopefully, their strength of numbers would keep the trouble to a minimum. "Alright we'll go in together. Hinata, check over the outer layer with your Byakugan. Let's see if we can find out anything before getting in a trap."

Nodding, the young Chunin attempted to pierce the walls of the castle. Looking at her expression, Tsunade knew something was wrong. "I'm sorry sensei, but I can't see anything. The walls have a layer of chakra coating them somehow and it's blocking my sight. I've never seen anything like this." Frowning, Tsunade glared at the building in irritation. That did not sound good at all.

"Stay together everyone and keep sharp. I don't know what sort of defenses would be that active after fifty years, so we have to assume a living enemy. Naruto and Hinata, I want you two to stay close to me. Hana and Shizune check for prisoners or wounded. Our first priority is to find missing targets. Move out!" Nodding, the ninja entered the castle, figurative guns blazing.

-----

Walking along the main streets of Konoha, Ino was finally beginning to draw her new mentor into some girl talk. Apparently the only Kunoichi that the Snake ninja was comfortable with was Kurenai-sensei, since the majority was either too scared or too politically conscious to build a relationship with the woman. Since her own non-ninja friends had mostly deserted her over the last few months, Ino was desperate to talk with someone while Sakura was busy and Anko fit the bill. Both had vicious senses of humor, no issues making their minds known, and a low tolerance for bullshit. It was surprisingly fun.

While her life had gotten much simpler recently, the young Yamanaka could not complain. She now knew who her true friends were, training actually felt like it was accomplishing something and she finally had some direction in her life besides impressing Sasuke. Heck, Sakura was dealing with more personal issues than her and she still lived at home! For the first time in a while, Ino knew she was strong and felt proud of her choices. Honestly, it was a major relief.

Still, she knew that she had a ways to go. Ino had entered the last Chunin Exams mostly to impress Sasuke with her power. Now, the young blonde knew that if she ever wanted to advance, she would have to improve quite a bit. The skills that Anko had been working on with her set a foundation, but Ino probably would not be independently Chunin level for at least another six months at her current rate of speed. Especially since her sensei was being stingy and refusing to allow her to sign the Snake Contract! It was not like half the freaking village did not already hate her right now. Well, that and her current chakra levels were barely enough to summon a garden snake.

Giggling at one of the older kunoichi's dirty stories involving the ANBU changing room and the associated tattoos within, Ino glanced around only to stop cold. There, across the market place and behind some civilians was her father. The Genin had not known if Inoichi was even aware of her mission at first, but given his information gathering skills, it was impossible for him to remain ignorant for long. Yet no matter how long she waited, the elder Yamanaka had not once approached her. Ino knew her father, and believed that for his little princess the man would do anything. So when he sighed and turned away without approaching, Ino felt her heart break. She really was on her own from now on, wasn't she?

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Ino nearly jumped out of her skin. "Hey kid, let's go get some dango. It's my treat to celebrate your new training course. So stop holding us up by standing like a zombie in the middle of the street." Turning to her sensei, Ino forced a smile. Despite her tone, Anko's eyes offered their support. Besides, Dango sounded like a great idea right about now.

"Sure Anko-sama! Of course, you'd better stay sharp! One day, I might just beat your speed eating record!" Jumping ahead to avoid a sudden swipe from her kunai, Ino tried to shake it off. She was a Kunoichi, knew who would stand by her, and would work to become stronger. No matter what others thought, she would follow her path and meet her gaze in the mirror. Really now, what else did a girl need?

-----

Author's Notes

Yay! Another chapter!

So I managed to get nearly twenty percent through my novel before hitting a block. Frustrated, I decided to produce another chapter of this to get the blood flowing. I can only hope that you, my wonderful readers approve of my efforts. :)

I think that I managed to answer everybody's review questions, but as you all know, I love explaining myself fully. It helps get my position across, and insures that there is minimal confusion. Now let us begin.

Firstly, yes the weapon that Naruto will use is from the Naruto universe. I assure you that I have no plans at this time to make this into a Bleach crossover! (Although those are amusing, I really am trying to keep this as pure cannon as possible)

Secondly, yes the scrolls talk about the Uchiha's connection to Kyuubi. However, Kakashi is more in shock about the requirements of the Mangekyo Sharingan. However, given the cannon facts, I think he would need to find that out sooner or later. His reaction is more about how Sasuke seemed so willing to go through with such a brutal requirement.

Thirdly, the reason that Shizune and Tsunade where talking about Naruto's control at summoning, even when he summoned Enma without problem goes something like this. The stronger summons are used with the most chakra you can put into the technique. Naruto's current problem is lowering the output so that he can summon a toad small enough. Given their locations so far, there has not really been time to work on that.

Fourthly, yeah Kakashi will be redeemed. I'm just not going to do it any time soon.

Fifthly, yeah Naruto will eventually learn something of Tsunade's strength technique. Let's just show that he has re-mastered normal fighting first, ok?

---Minor Spoiler Alert!---

Now, normally I do not do this, but given the various factors, I think I have no choice. Recently, I watched Shippuden episode 134 (overall episode 350), and have come to the conclusion that the mental block seals are cannon. Why do you ask? Simply watch the special at the end, observe Naruto's reaction to Hinata's encouragement, and tell me the guy's brain is not being influenced. I dare you. *grrr*

---End of Minor Spoiler Alert!---

Now that that's out of the way, on to the next chapter!  
A mysterious castle, danger at every turn...and what's that smell? Stay tuned! :)


	23. THA: Secrets of the Castle

No I don't own Naruto. My sense of humor is not that evolved.

Chapter Twenty Two Part One: Team Hokage Adventure! Secrets of the Castle

Looking around the interior of the castle entrance, Tsunade felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention. There was no way that this place was abandoned. The area was too clean, there were lit torches in every visible hallway, and untouched wall hangings everywhere. If this was a hideout for bandits or anormal abandoned castle, she would expect more signs of wear and tear. All of which begged the questions; who was based here and what were they up to?

Turning to the young Inuzuka, Tsunade barked out an order. "Hana, I need you to find the targets with all possible haste. This place is in too good a condition, and that screams trap as far as I am concerned. We have to find those civilians before something bad happens, if we're not already too late." Of course, insuring that nothing bad happened to her group was also a priority, but there was no reason to express that just yet. Such ideas would simply freak out the others into getting sloppy.

Sniffing, the tracking Kunoichi frowned. "I'm picking up traces Tsunade-sama, but I can't quite get a fix on them. There's something in the air that's covering up their scent. I just can't figure out what the hell it is." Conversing with her partners, Hana visibly deflated when none of them seemed to have an idea what was going on either.

Tilting his head, the blonde knucklehead blinked. "Hey, that kind of smells likes the slaughterhouse district. You know, like blood that's really old that just hangs around because there was so much of it?" Sniffing again, Naruto pinched his nose in pain. "Man, did they kill a cow or something here? That really stinks!" Frowning at the pronouncement, Tsunade decided that they needed to pick this up as quickly as possible. The longer the group took, the more dangerous the whole mission would probably become.

Turning to the others, Tsunade provided her orders with confident precision. "Shizune, take Hana and begin searching the lower floors for the missing people. If they are imprisoned, it is logical that they would be stored in some sort of jail or hidden dungeon. Between her, her companions, and Tonton's noses, their scents should be easy to track. I want you there to provide any medical assistance and backup as needed."

Turning to her other apprentices, the blonde Hokage provided no room for debate. "Naruto, Hinata I want you to come with me. Someone is maintaining this place, and I want to know who and why. Hopefully, whatever masking effect in place against the Byakugan will be less effective inside. Otherwise, you two can provide the best back up to deal with any threats. Does anyone have an issue with these orders?" Seeing a clear lack of dissention in the ranks, Tsunade nodded firmly. "Then everyone move out. We have a lot to do and not much time left to do it in!" With that bold pronouncement, the team split to follow her orders.

-----

Keeping watch for enemy forces, Hana tried to locate the traces of her targets. However, Naruto's little quip about the dead cow had not been too far off the mark. Every time she sent chakra to her nose, Hana would pull up nearly a dozen stronger traces that would interfere with her tracking abilities. While somewhat stronger than her own, the triplet s noses were dealing with the same problems, slowing their progress to a crawl. Luckily, they must have started moving in the correct direction because the trail was getting stronger. It just took an unholy amount of effort to keep focused upon it.

Shaking her head, Hana snorted. "This is just too rich. I am one of the strongest of the Inuzuka, and a little brat is able to tell that there's old blood around before I am. How the hell could that punk figure it out so easily? It's just plain crazy." She might not have an issue with Naruto, but this was a bit of professional jealousy. Besides, it was not like she was finding any enemies to overhear her moment of ranting. Of course, in her distracted state, she forgot about a helpful comrade around the corner.

Clearing her throat, Shizune took it upon herself to answer the younger ninja's idle question. "Actually, I think that has something to do with both the removal of the illegal limiter seals and Naruto's natural regeneration. There were indicators that a large amount of sensory information was suppressed during his development and coupled with his accelerated healing abilities, Naruto probably has comparable abilities to the Inuzuka clan. Although, I have no idea why he would recognize the smell of blood so easily, I can make a few guesses." Wincing, Hana decided that the less of that train of thought traveled the better.

Blinking, Hana turned to the Jonin in confusion. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but isn't this sort of thing classified? I might be a vet, but even I know that certain medical information shouldn't be given out freely. Especially when you're dealing with specialized ninja abilities that might need to remain secret." Noting the kunoichi's blush, Hana suppressed a smirk. The Sannin and their students sometimes became so much larger than life in the eyes of Konoha's ninja population that it was easy to forget they were human to.

Biting her lip, the older woman sighed. "Well, if you are going to come along with us, it is important that you be briefed on Naruto's condition. Officially, we are still working to rehabilitate him and there is a lot left to do. Given our previous accommodations, Naruto's enhanced sensory abilities never really came up. Either we stayed in one place for a while, or we didn't notice them while traveling. But if his senses are somewhat enhanced with the removal of the seals, then your help could be invaluable." Shrugging her shoulders, Shizune continued down the path. "Besides, I doubt that I told you anything unknown to the gossip pools back in Konoha. Now let's get going. The longer we take here, the more potential danger we might have to deal with."

Nodding her agreement, Hana followed while trying to track the targets. However, the information she had been presented persisted in the back of her mind. If Naruto truly was able to enhance his senses in such a fashion, then she had a much stronger case for her inclusion in the team. While there were some clan techniques she could only show a member of her family, any Inuzuka learned basic tracking techniques as part of their initial training. Since such a large percentage of the clan ended up as hunter ninja, it was not uncommon for members to learn special techniques at an early age. If the little blonde showed some promise, then she could improve his potential and control in such techniques quite handily. It was something to consider for once the mission was over anyways.

-----

Watching Naruto peak around the corner, Hinata still felt mortified by her uselessness. "I apologize again Sensei for my weakness. I have no idea what they did to the walls here, but it's like the hallways are constructed with solid chakra. I have never even heard of anything like this, and have no way of countering it." After all, her primary training was in reconnaissance. How could she allow herself to fail in such a spectacular fashion?

Patting her on the shoulder, Tsunade cautiously followed the younger blonde. "I assure you Hinata, that I do not blame you for this. Honestly, I have heard of certain armors that can block the Byakugan and other doujutsu temporarily. But never have I seen those techniques applied to an entire building. That's one of the reasons that I prioritized locating whoever is in charge of this place. We need to discover what they did to accomplish this and, if necessary destroy it to prevent the technique from spreading. Just keep your guard up and everything should be alright."

Snorting, Naruto glanced at them over his shoulder. "I don't know what the big deal is. Why don't we just break off a piece of wall or something? We have been searching for nearly half an hour and there have been no traces of anyone else here. For all we know, the owners just found the place abandoned and patched it up a bit. I bet that the ninja back in the village could figure out what was going on with a sample, no problem!"

Bonking the boy with a fist, Tsunade growled. "But what if the technique is remotely activated? We could break off a sample only to have our scientists puzzle over a chunk of wood. Besides, we have yet to see any signs of repair, so if the residents are patching this place up, they have to know what they are doing. That means plans or scrolls dealing with the technique, and that is the sort of thing that we need. Think before you speak, shrimp! You know better than that!" Watching her idol pout at the dressing down, Hinata had to restrain herself. Squeezing him like a plushy would probably be a bad idea while in an enemy stronghold.

Frowning, Naruto started sniffing the air. "What the heck is that? Do you guys smell something?" Closing her eyes, Hinata tried to smell whatever her favorite blond was talking about. Blinking in surprise, Hinata looked down a side corridor. It was faint, but she was picking up the scent of some sort of food. Maybe the owners of the castle were eating?

Gesturing for silence, Tsunade took the lead, heading towards the odor of food. Finding a door with light streaming from underneath the crack, she paused. As her teacher reached for the handle, Hinata prepared herself for battle. For all they knew, a garrison was sitting down to eat a few feet away. If the walls could block her sight, it would probably be child's play to stop any sound.

Slamming the door open, the group jumped in only to be brought up short. Like the rest of the castle so far, this room was empty. However, the lamps were lit and steaming bowls littered the table. If someone had been here, they could not have left to long ago. Looking at the bowls of soup, the blonde Hokage sighed. "At least we know someone is here. We must have missed them by a minute, which means that they are aware we are here. We'll have to be more careful."

Sighing in disappointment Hinata turned to her idol, only to note a look of fear on his face. It was so unusual that she felt herself brought up short. "Naruto-kun, what's wrong? We might have missed the enemy, but we are getting closer. So don't worry about it." It felt odd trying to be supportive to Naruto for a change, but she was trying to be stronger. Therefore, she knew that she could not rely upon the blonde to prop her up forever. What else was a friend for?

Turning to her, Naruto's look of horror did not shift in the slightest. "Hinata-chan, that's not the problem. I just don't like fighting against a serial killer. What other kind of psycho would make soup out of people?" Eyes widening, Hinata looked at the bowls more closely. Now that she thought about, that soup was awfully red now was it not? Concentrating on the smell, she nearly gagged at the coppery taste. How the hell did she not notice that?

"Kami, you're right Naruto-kun! That's not soup, its human blood!" Of course, that announcement was the moment when the whole castle began to shake. Feeling her sensei grab herself and Naruto, Hinata made a vow. She was leaving the dramatic reveals to both her cousin and Naruto-kun from now on. At least they seemed strong enough to handle the trouble that popped up afterwards.

-----

Feeling the floor buck underneath her feet, Shizune reacted like any capable ninja. Leaping to the more stable surface of the hallway wall, she sent chakra to anchor her until things calmed down. To her absolute mortification the walls refused to adhere to her feet, sending her spiraling downwards. She had not lost control like that since she was five! How the hell did the wall reject her chakra grip? Helpless, she followed the cursing Chunin and her dogs, cradling Tonton as best as she could.

Observing a new surface coming up quickly, the young medic flipped in midair. Bending her knees with the jarring impact, Shizune was happy to note that the cold stone handled her chakra infusion without issue. Turning around, she sighed in relief as both Hana and her dogs seemed to have no problems adjusting to the fall. Judging from how long they fell, and the solid stone surroundings, they must be in the basement. Now all they had to do was find a way out of here and the two kunoichi would be all set!

Sniffing the air, Hana turned to her in apparent alarm. "Shizune! I smell the targets! They're only a few meters down that way!" Surprised, the Jonin followed along quickly. So that was why they could not find the missing people! The dungeons were hidden by a secret panel!

Pulling up short, Shizune was shocked by what she saw. According to Hana's information, these people had been missing for only a few days. Yet, each looked like they barely had the energy to breathe! Approaching one of the prone figures, the medic ran a quick scan to discover what was going on. The results were beyond belief. Somehow, a large number of civilians had nearly text-book cases of chakra exhaustion! How the hell did that happen? Most normal people could not use enough chakra to make a basic clone!

Turning to her compatriot, the young medic sighed. "Hana, is everyone accounted for here? Some of these people require medical care and I need to know how many patients I'm dealing with." In addition to the chakra exhaustion, several of the subjects had untreated bruises and inflammation. Clearly, their trip to the basement had been just as lively as the ninja. Only, the civilians lacked the ability to land safely.

Looking over the assembled figures, Hana took another sniff. "Judging from the information that the clients provided, we have most of them. The only one's missing is a couple of guards, but they weren't priority targets." Turning to the far wall, the Inuzuka frowned. "Plus, I'm picking up some traces of blood from the far wall. It's possible that they were killed and removed to make an example to the others. Either way, it's probably a good idea to start treatment at once."

Shaking her head at the lost lives, Shizune began to help the prisoners as best as she could. While she was not too worried about her or Hana's chances for survival, the state that these people had been left in was worrisome. If this was a ransom attempt, the leaders and nobility should have been kept in better shape at least. The owner of this castle seemed to be playing by an odd set of rules, so they would have to be extra careful. Hopefully, Tsunade-sama would find and rescue them before too much longer.

-----

Groaning, Hinata brought a hand to her aching temple. The last thing that she remembered was Tsunade-sama grabbing her and Naruto-kun before the entire hallway began to spasm. Hopefully, the Sannin was able to deal with the problem. Opening her eyes, the shy Hyuga was confronted with the image of a sleeping Naruto. The resulting squeak could have shattered a wine glass.

Turning red as a tomato, Hinata practically levitated away from the prone body of her crush. One of her recent guilty pleasures was watching the young blonde sleep. Either during her turn at the night watch or waking early to start the day, such a task was simple for the Byakugan. However, she had never been so close to him before. Usually Naruto would sleep in his own tent, or if he was having a bad dream, in Tsunade's. It was just a little distracting, and she could already feel herself getting lightheaded.

Hearing someone clearing their throat, the young girl turned to face a clearly amused Tsunade. Flushing, she took stock of their surroundings. Apparently they were still in the castle hallway, but everything had changed. The walls and floor were covered with greenish muck, while cobwebs sprouted from every corner. Unlike before, this clearly looked like an abandoned castle, although the speed of the transformation indicated a genjutsu. Getting up, she was grateful to hear Naruto-kun stir. Something told her that they were going to need all the help they could get.

"Well now that you're up Hinata, I want you to use your Byakugan. Something odd is going on here, and we need all the information that we can get." Thinking that the woman had an odd talent for stating the obvious, Hinata nonetheless activated her doujutsu. Hopefully, she would be able to see through the genjutsu and find the others. Of course, her preoccupation shattered once the images became clear. What in the world was going on?

"Sensei, the walls aren't blocking my sight anymore. However, now there are clusters of chakra throughout the building's structure! I've never seen anything that compares to this! It's almost like viewing someone's chakra pathways from the inside out." Observing tenketsu points the size of her head did not fill the Hyuga with confidence. It was just plain unnatural.

Biting her lip, the blonde Sannin nodded. "You know, I'd begun to suspect something like this. Jiraiya developed a similar technique for infiltration missions. If what you're saying is true, then it is quite possible that we are inside a summoned creature. That's the only thing that would make any sense given the available information." Hearing that she had been consumed made Hinata sweat with fear. That was just too weird to believe!

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto frowned. "But Baa-chan, who summoned it and why? I mean, it's not like we walked into the middle of a battle or anything. Summoning something this big would take a lot of chakra, and no one would throw that much around without a target in mind. Why use something like this to capture a bunch of civilians? Anyone with enough experience to summon a boss would have a dozen other ways to deal with such a weak group." Blinking at the insight, Hinata nodded her agreement. The whole situation seemed awfully inefficient, did it not?

Sighing, Tsunade shook her head in resignation. "I have no idea as to why someone would summon something in the middle of nowhere and leave it hanging around. Perhaps this was a trap for us, or another powerful batch of ninja. Or, someone else decided to practice summoning and lost control of the creature. Either way, we need more information and a way out of here." Licking her lips, Hinata focused her sight once again. Now that the odd shielding effect was gone, perhaps she could be of some more use.

"Sensei, there's a room down the hallway to the right that appears stable. It's filled with various documents that I can't quite make out from here. Perhaps we should try to find out more from over there?" Nodding, the blonde Hokage directed her to take point. Moving with more confidence than she felt, Hinata prayed that they found their way out of here soon. This was just getting too creepy!

-----

Leaving her partners with Shizune, Hana did a quick search of their accommodations. Despite her best efforts, no entrances to the surface or signs of the missing guards were visible. In addition, she could not find any recent traces of foreign scents that would highlight probable escape routes. In all honesty, it was almost like the basement had been scooped up and the castle plopped right on top. It was just plain nuts!

Heading back to the gathering of civilians, she was treated to the sight of Shizune helping one of the nobles regain consciousness. Focusing on her face Hana thought the civilian was Hikari, a minor noble's daughter who had joined the gathering last minute. Hopefully, the young woman would be able to make sense of this headache. Patting her hand, the medic smiled reassuringly at the civilian. "Alright miss, just relax. My name is Shizune of Konoha, and I am part of a mission to find you and your friends. Can you please tell me what happened?"

Eyes fluttering, the slight woman seemed to shrink into herself. Hana had to remember that this was just a civilian noble with minor status. She had probably only heard about ninja and their villages in gossip and old wives tales, so a little hesitation was understandable. Shaking her head, the noble met their eyes. "Hello Shizune-san, my name is Hikari of the Land of Honey. I'll try to explain, but I honestly don't understand it myself."

Sitting up, the young woman gathered herself before continuing. "We were going for an outing, hoping to have a moon viewing party a couple of days ago. The weather was clear, and it has been said that the view of the former Neck Country inspires an interesting sense of melancholy under a full moon. However, once we came to this land, a major storm seemed to descend bringing horrible rain and wind. Fearful of exposure, our group sought shelter in this abandoned building." Frowning, Hana caught Shizune's gaze with her own. There had not been any bad weather for days according to her senses. Something very wrong was going on here.

Sighing, the young noble continued her story. "Once we entered the main gate of the castle, some of the guards sought out the inhabitants of the place. However, we were unable to find anything except clean, empty rooms. Deciding to sit out the storm here, we prepared to make camp in the entrance. But once we settled in place, the walls began to buck and shake. I was knocked unconscious, and when I next awoke we were all down here."

Biting her lip, Hana decided that subtlety was a luxury they could not afford. "Hikari-san, when I was briefed upon your party's composition, there were two additional guards listed as going with you. Tell me, do you know what happened to them?" Seeing the civilian shake in right, the Inuzuka winced. This could not end well.

Quivering, the noble glanced at the walls fearfully. "The two guards you spoke of were the strongest in our group. After we had been here for a while, people began to feel weak. Even now it is taking all I have to talk with you like this. But those two were failed ninja students, and were able to gather and control chakra. For some reason, they were not as adversely affected. But when they tried to find an exit, they disappeared. It was almost like the walls swallowed them up. " Watching the woman go from exhausted to terrified, Hana felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Looking at the two ninja and their allies, Hikari's eyes seemed to grow three sized too large. "Please noble ninja's! Safe me and my compatriots from this place! I don't know what this castle really is, but we must escape before we become its next meal!" Trying to calm the hysterical girl down, Hana decided that Jiraiya was getting a piece of her mind. This mission was so miss ranked it was not even funny!

-----

Skimming the log books of Kubisaki Kouza, former lord of Neck Country, Tsunade felt her blood run cold. What she was reading was unprecedented, yet the proof was unmistakable. Looking at the proud visage of the long dead leader the Hokage felt some stirs of admiration. His plan was audacious and insane, but it appeared very effective. If they had met under the correct circumstances, she might have found a new crush.

Turning to the nervously twitching Chunin, Tsunade sighed. "Alright, I think I know what is going on now. According to this, the former lord was seriously outmatched in the final battle for Neck Country fifty years ago. His unified forces were broken, and this castle was the site of their final stand. During the battle, Kubisaki planned to unleash a powerful technique to wreck vengeance upon his enemy forces. Based upon the evidence, I think that it's safe to say that he really did use a major summoning. The thing is, as near as I can tell, the summon creature has remained here guarding the remnants of his master's legacy for nearly fifty years! Either this guy was the most inspiring master on the planet, or the summons species among the most loyal I have ever seen!"

Scratching his head, Naruto frowned. "But how did a lord get a hold of a ninja technique? If the nobility knew ninjutsu, then why the heck would they need us to fight for them? Besides, I have never heard of a lord or lady with enough chakra to manage something like this. It's just plain nuts!"

Bopping the kid on the head for his impertinence, the Hokage smirked. "Don't forget how the times change the people, kid. Things have calmed down a lot in the recent decades. Back when this guy was around and kicking, battles to establish or defend territory were much more common. Heck, for all we know, Kubisaki was a ninja who gathered enough troops to establish a country. It's not without historical president. Why do you think missing ninja still try to do it? The answer is because it's been successfully done before."

Shaking her head at the silly nature of the lecture, Tsunade pointed out the main issue. "The important thing is that if this is a summoning jutsu, then there must be a summoning contract. Without that contract, the summon creature will have no reason to remain and we can remove this long standing danger from the area. So our next goal is to find that scroll and destroy it." The unspoken question was how the hell they were going to accomplish that.

Blinking, Hinata activated her Byakugan without prompting. "Sensei, I wasn't sure earlier, but I think that I see the contract! There is a huge, worn out scroll on the top floor wrapped in some sort of chakra web. I think that I can see a path that would take us straight there!" Tsunade had to stop herself from kissing the slight girl. Hinata had just made her day!

However, the younger woman was not quite done. "Wait, I've got something else! Hana and Shizune-sempai are downstairs in a dungeon underneath the castle, and they've found the missing people! But everyone seems really weak and Shizune-sempai is looking worn out from treating the group. I think that they need help!" That was definitely a problem.

Looking at her students, Tsunade made a decision. They had both come so far, that she should give them a chance. Both Naruto and Hinata had earned some trust. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. You two are going up after that scroll while I head downstairs to help the others escape. We do not know what this place is doing to the civilians, and we need to remove them as quickly as possible. I want you to find that contract, and destroy it without fail. Do you understand?" Naruto nodded his agreement, with Hinata joining in only seconds after.

Watching the two head upwards, Tsunade took one more look at the painting of the long dead lord. "I'm sorry for the trouble, but I have to knock your castle down now. The times have moved on and your grudge needs to rest. I am impressed at your determination, and wish we could have met when you were alive. You were an interesting person, Kubisaki Kouza." Blinking, Tsunade rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Did that painting just glow while winking at her?

-----

Rushing up the stairs, Naruto's eyes swept the area. It was not like he thought Baa-chan was lying about the summon thing. He had seen Gamabunta after all, and the boss toad could easily eat an entire village if he wanted. The thing was, without knowing what kind of summon that Kouza guy had used they had no idea what to expect. For all they knew it could make small little versions of itself and attack its prey. So until that contract was destroyed, he would remain on high alert!

Not seeing the objective, he turned to his partner. "Hinata! Where is that scroll?" He did not want to put her on the spot or anything, but lives where on the line. The sooner they got out of here, the better he would feel. Judging from Hinata's steady gaze, she probably felt the same way.

Focusing her Byakugan, the Hyuga pointed to the ceiling. "Over there Naruto-kun! Behind the light fixture under a hidden panel! I'll give you a leg up so you can get to it." Remembering how the special walls seemed to reject their chakra, the hyperactive blonde got a small running start before leaping at the shorter kunoichi. Not missing a beat, Hinata grabbed his foot and threw him towards the wall. After months of training together and weeks of taijutsu practice, they understood each other's rhythms well enough to pull this sort of move off in their sleep.

Rebounding off the wall, Naruto managed to grab the light fixture without issue. Focusing all his strength, the hyperactive blonde punched the panel to pieces. There, embedded into a mound of slimy flesh, was the contract. He wasted no time in grabbing the scroll with a smile. Of course, with this action, the entire room began to shake sending the young ninja into freefall. Thank goodness that Hinata was so quick to catch him or that would have been a nasty spill! "Thanks a lot Hinata, but what's going on? The whole place is just going crazy!"

Looking around, the young kunoichi swallowed nervously. "Naruto-kun! The entire building is changing! We have to get out of here!" Nodding, he started to head towards the window, only to have the wall shift into a blank surface. Turning, both Chunin were shocked as every entrance and exit began to shrink or disappear before their eyes! Moving in closer, Hinata grabbed his arm in fear. "What are we going to do now?"

Thinking, Naruto cursed his limited jutsu library. The basics from the Academy had only been partially re-mastered at this point, and the only technique that he could do regularly was the Shadow Clone. Taijutsu was useless against such dense walls, genjutsu was useless without a proper target, and summoning within a summon had so many ways of going wrong it hurt his head just thinking about it. In fact, in his prime there was only one technique that he could pull off that might be useful right now. But without retraining, how was he going to control a Rasengan with limited control and a huge boost to his power? It would take nearly twenty-five times as much effort right now.

Blinking, the young blonde stopped himself from swearing. The whole problem with a Rasengan was condensing the power and maintaining control. So why not improvise a bit. Moving towards one of the remaining normal walls, he formed a familiar seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" However, instead of the single clone he normally used, five clones popped into existence. Focusing his power into one spot, Naruto barely acknowledged the clones getting into position. Moving in concert, they pack of blondes began to form a beach ball sized sphere of chakra. After all if his original execution of the technique required a single clone, then his boost should equate a Rasengan of five times the normal volume and five clones to remain equal.

Struggling to contain the massive amount of power, Naruto forced the enhanced Rasengan forward. With a cry of, "Great Ball Rasengan!" the wall shattered. Wasting no time, he grabbed a stunned Hinata and started running down the outside of the castle. He did not know what would happen to a summon creature that had a giant hole blasted out of its side, but the young ninja sure as hell was not sticking around to find out. It probably made one of Baa-chan's hangovers look like a love tap!

-----

Gripping a nervous Tonton, Shizune looked over their surroundings with worry. A few minutes ago the ceiling had begun to shift slightly, almost flexing in the dim light. However, a massive explosion had shaken the foundations of their location, enhancing the problem. The ninja and few conscious civilians were treated to the sight of supposed wood and rock withering in pain. Both of the kunoichi knew this could not end well.

Suddenly, a section of the ceiling became a tentacle of flesh. Lashing around, the gory appendage attacked the sickened humans. Growling, Hana's trio of dogs reacted, deflecting the assault. Frowning, Shizune dropped Tonton before launching her own offensive. Mindful of the innocent civilians, she focused on senbon attacks and precision strikes. Who knew if her poison abilities would even phase something like this?

Turning to the younger ninja, the brunette was slightly relieved by her solid and unbending stance. Clearly the Inuzuka was capable of handling the unexpected. "We should be able to hold out for a bit, but this stalemate won't last forever. Are you sure that there were no possible exits, even problematic ones? I would kill for a collapsed tunnel we could empty out right about now." Sensing another attack, the medic released another senbon along with a series of hand seals. Noting the success of her shadow clone shuriken modification, she hid a small grin.

Growling, Hana lashed out with a kick. "I'm telling you that we're sealed in! I don't know what this is, but whatever the others are doing is really pissing it off. These weird limbs are beginning to get harder to hit!" Observing the next attack, Shizune winced. As time went on, the odd tentacles were starting to get scales. The more that appeared, the less effective her projectile attacks became. Something would have to change very soon if they were going to survive this fight!

At that point, just as suddenly as they had started, the attacking lumps of flesh froze in place. A low groan started, as a much larger section of the ceiling began to bulge without control. Both kunoichi prepared for a final attack. Imagine their surprise when a massive hole opened, disgorging a harried and gore covered Tsunade. Wiping her face, the blonde smirked lightly. "Sorry I'm late, but things got a little crazy up there. Is everyone accounted for?"

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Shizune sighed in relief. "Yes Tsunade-sama, all the living civilians are here. However, there is no apparent way out of this place and we're running short on time. That last blow seems to have severely enraged whatever entity we are dealing with." Indeed, the hole was sealing itself before their eyes, leaving an angry red mark.

Looking around, the Sannin reared back and lashed out at one of the stone walls. The group was shocked by the massive hole that resulted. "If there's no exit, I'll just have to make one! Get all the civilians together and prepare to depart! We have to go meet Naruto and Hinata outside before things get that much more out of control!" Nodding, both Kunoichi moved to deal with the civilians as quickly as possible. This was going to get a little messy, but everyone should survive the experience. That is, if they were lucky and ran very fast."

-----

Rolling to his feet, Naruto searched around franticly before sighing in relief. Hinata was out cold for the moment, but there were no apparent wounds or bruises to worry about. Looking at the shifting and quivering castle, the blonde winced. Launching an untested variation of the Rasengan at a living wall was not one of his better ideas. But trying to run down a building that would randomly reject his chakra's hold was much more unpleasant. Thank the maker of all soups warm and savory that they were ok!

Looking around, he frowned at the lack of fellow ninjas and civilians. Baa-chan's group must have escaped somewhere else. Forming his trademarked hand seal, Naruto was about to summon reinforcements when the ground began to shake. Before he could get his wits about him Tsunade was punching through the ground, gasping for air. She was shortly followed by Shizune-nee-chan and Hana, who were dragging along a crowd of civilians and weakened guards. Smiling, he ran up to the older woman happily. It appeared that this mission was a success!

Looking over him with a fond gaze, the Hokage smiled. "Well, we were too late to save a couple of the guards, but everyone else is fine. They just seem to be suffering some form of chakra exhaustion. But never mind that for now. Are you and Hinata alright?" Hearing her concern, rarely so openly expressed, Naruto grinned. That was something worth fighting for right there!

Shaking himself out of the slight daze, Naruto straightened up. "I'm fine Baa-chan, and Hinata-chan got knocked out but should be alright. Getting the scroll was tough, but I was able to jury rig a larger form of the Rasengan to get us out of there. That big guy really didn't want to give it up!" Nodding, the elder blonde suddenly froze. Blinking, Naruto tracked her gaze to where Hinata was lying safely, still clutching the summoning contract.

Turning slowly, the blonde Hokage whispered. "You haven't destroyed the contract yet? But that would mean that the creature is still bound to this plane!" Scratching his head, Naruto tried to hide his embarrassment. He knew that he was forgetting something!

"Well, we were in a bit of a rush. Besides, without knowing that everyone had escaped the castle safely, destroying the contract might have dismissed the creature with some others still inside it. But between your punches and my Rasengan, how much more can that thing take?" That of course, was the cue for a giant roar.

Turning, the group was treated to the sight of a giant lizard crying out to the heavens. It looked like a chameleon, but wore a set of dark green and brown samurai armor complete with a horned helmet. The bulging eyes turned left and right independently of one another, before settling upon the tiny group of humans. "Who dares to attack the Lord of the Lizards? Prepare to feel my wrath and burn with my vengeance!" At that point, Naruto realized things were going to get much more difficult.

-----

Yeah, like I was going to make it easy to get a Summoning Contract *evil grins*

Thank you all for your patience. I spent most of the last month knee-deep in National Novel Writing Month. Unfortunately, I only managed a little over 20,000 words. But I will do better next year!

I know that many people saw this chapter coming, but what can I say? I LIKED this challenge requirement, and thought it only fitting to make my own spin on it. Why should the Lizard Summons bow down to someone who survived a few traps? This called for a full out battle that will truly showcase how far Naruto has come in his recovery. I know everyone's been curious, so hang on! It's going to be a wild ride! :)

Now, I will try to answer some questions!

In regards to Inoichi's behavior, well he's a bit of a hypocrite. On one hand, he does view Naruto's treatment as horrible and wanted to destroy his involved clansman. In fact, that's effectively what he did. However, he is also very image conscious, and knows that a certain image is needed to maintain prestige within the village. Therefore, while he understands Ino's choices, he worries about how they will impact her options in the future. Is it necessarily right? Not really, but he lives in the real world. Therefore, there are never any easy answers.

I am thinking of starting Naruto on the basics of the strength technique before too much longer, but it will be different than Hinata. Given her smaller reserves and superior Jonin instructor, Hinata is almost guaranteed to have better chakra control. So Tsunade was able to skip a couple of steps in regards to her mastery. Therefore, there will have to be more build-up before Naruto is quite at that level.

Naruto's issues with Kakashi are a ways away. Honestly, he's so preoccupied with his training that there's been no time to obsess about Team Seven. That's at least partially by design.

Well, I'm sure you're all wondering what is next, hmmmm?  
Well, let's just say that it's time for Naruto to show what he's best at and leave it at that, ne? :)


	24. THA: Battle of Legacy!

No I don't own Naruto. However, any original characters depicted here ARE technically mine to do with as I please...

Chapter Twenty Two Part Two: Team Hokage Adventure! Battle of Legacy!

Knowing that he had little time to waste, Naruto ran back to gather Hinata and the scroll. Returning with the unconscious Hyuga, he handed the girl over to Shizune. "Please take care of her, Shizune-nee-chan. I don't think that she was badly hurt, but I might have missed something." Turning to the furious Lizard Lord, the young blonde cracked his knuckles. This was going to be a tough one.

Shaking her head Tsunade bopped his skull, breaking the dramatic moment. "What the hell are you doing brat? We have the Summoning Scroll right here! All we need to do to end this is destroy it!" Reaching over to take the document, the Hokage was surprised by his sudden signal to stop. Looking into her eyes, Naruto tried to make her understand. There was no way it was going to be that simple anymore.

"Listen Baa-chan, normally I'd agree with you without a problem. But if this was a normal summon, then it should have dispersed years ago with the death of its boss. For all we know, destroying that contract might remove the last bit of control we have over this thing. At the very least, I've got to fight it off while you get the civilians to safety. We cannot take something that important out of play without knowing what will happen!" If there was one thing that all those strategy games had taught him, it was never to throw away a piece that might be useful in the future.

Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade growled. "What are you talking about, Naruto? Why the hell should you fight a freaking boss summons by yourself? I'll admit that keeping that scroll around until we understand how to really take care of it is not a bad idea. But you are not alone, and there's no way in hell I'm going to throw you away as a decoy!" Irritated at her lack of faith but warmed by her concern, the young blonde Chunin kept his cool. They had to get started before the lizard took the initiative!

"Listen Baa-chan, you're still tired from getting the others out of that dungeon. In addition, you need to make sure that the civilians get taken care of. Meanwhile, I've got the most chakra, three possible boss summons I can call on to help and enough stamina to distract this thing until we can defeat it. Between that and all the damage that walking pocket book has already taken, there shouldn't be any problem. Just trust me Tsunade! I can do this!" Not to mention that being left out of most of the fighting lately was really beginning to piss him off.

Frowning, the Hokage nodded abruptly. "Alright kid, try to divert it while we evacuate the noncombatants. But as soon as everyone is clear, I'll come and back you up. So stick with Enma and Gamabunta for right now, ok? Using the Slug summons takes some practice and we haven't had a chance to give you that yet. Also, if it starts to get dangerous, I want you out of there!" Giving a cheeky salute and a wave, Naruto leapt into battle once again. Honestly, it had been too long!

-----

Groaning, Hinata opened her eyes blearily. Getting out of the castle had been nice and exciting, but hitting the ground at that speed hurt like hell. Thank goodness that she had been able to cushion some of the impact with the summoning scroll. Starting, the young Chunin looked around franticly. What happened to the contract? They needed it to deal with that weird boss!

Trying to calm down, Hinata prepared to activate her Byakugan. Only a quick hand on her shoulder stopped the technique. "I wouldn't do that, Hinata-chan. You have a mild concussion and using your vision will only disorient you further. Just relax and sit back for a moment." Taking a deep and calming breath, the younger Kunoichi allowed Shizune to heal what she could. Head injuries could be tricky, and being careful was only common sense. Still, she needed to know what was going on. Her worries were only enhanced by the sounds of explosions in the distance.

"Shizune-sempai, where's Naruto-kun and the scroll? I remember getting out of the castle with them, but after that it's a bit of a blank." Looking at the suddenly nervous medic, Hinata got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Who knew what sort of trouble Naruto-kun had gotten into without her around to keep him calm? She needed to find him as soon as possible.

Noting her distress, Shizune sighed. "You succeeded getting out of the castle with the contract, Hinata-chan. However, Naruto-kun refused to destroy it thinking that it might limit the movements of the boss summons. He pointed out that if this thing was following the normal rules then it should have dispersed years ago. So right now, Hana is getting the civilians a safe distance away while we guard their rear flank. As for Naruto-kun, well he's taking on the boss to insure our safety." Gasping, Hinata turned only to see a solitary blonde forming hand signs in front of the largest lizard she had ever seen!

Forcing herself to stand, Hinata made to go join her friend. "What are we waiting for then? Naruto can't take on a boss summons by himself! We need to go and give backup!" Only her own dizziness and Shizune's quick actions prevented her from charging after Naruto-kun. She would never allow him to fight such odds alone if she could do anything about it!

Not budging from her observation post, Tsunade snorted. "I totally agree with you Hinata. As far as I'm concerned, Naruto shouldn't have to fight that thing by himself. However, he made some pretty good points. He has three summoning contracts to choose from, and two of them are excellent for offensive combat. Also, he's got the most chakra out of anyone in the group so he should be able to summon multiple bosses without any trouble. Finally, if for one minute I think that he's really in danger, I'm jumping in to stop this."

Her disbelief must have been apparent in the resulting silence, because the blonde Hokage turned to give her a look. "Hinata, I'm not happy with this either. But remember that this enemy is nowhere near full strength. Between our attacks to escape and his lack of new chakra, this Lizard Lord should be a lot weaker than he was before. Also, I don't know if you've ever seen Gamabunta, but that old toad is much nastier than some old wallet. Besides, I've known Naruto long enough to give him some faith every now and again. Right now, our primary concern is protecting Hana as she gets the civilians out of the way. Then we can really cut loose."

Hinata did not like this. She believed in Naruto-kun, but knew that he had not been in a full battle in months. Who knew what would happen when facing an unknown opponent in the middle of nowhere? She had come along to help him, and now she was all but useless. The only thing left to do was watch while he faced his enemy head on. Forcing herself forward, Hinata prepared to observe the battle. However, the sight before her blew all expectations out of the water. Forcing herself to look up, Hinata gulped. THIS was what Naruto-kun could do? It was amazing!

-----

Observing the giant lizard flexing his tail, Naruto felt himself grow calm. It was only when the chips where down and lives where on the line that he felt like his true self. Sure, a massive enemy summon was smashing up the scenery left and right, but he could see right through it. The boss was tired and weakened, trying to generate terror in his enemy before they even fought. It was a trick he used himself, but never this effectively. Grinning viciously, the young Chunin bit his finger and began making the hand signs. This was going to be fun.

Unfortunately, his lack of practice showed in that moment of glory. Instead of a giant battle toad, Enma the Monkey King appeared. Looking around, the aged summon boss snorted. "While your faith in my strength is very touching Naruto-kun, I think that we might want some back-up. I'm better for dealing with armies of human sized opponents, not multi-story monsters." While there was no fear in his stance, the summon was clearly irritated about dealing with such an over powered enemy.

Sweat dropping, Naruto formed the seals again, making a point to think clearly of toads at the time. "Sorry about that, Enma-sensei. I wanted to summon the Boss Toad first. He's better equipped to deal with someone like this anyways." Noting that the older summon looked twitchy about the evaluation, the blonde ninja sighed. He could bow and scrape until the cows came home, but he still called them like he saw them. Quite frankly, a giant tanto wielding toad would be a lot more useful than a single unbreakable staff.

Focusing his chakra once again, Naruto was rewarded with the appearance of Gamabunta the Boss Toad. Now that he had such an awesome ally, things would go much more smoothly! Of course, that was when said boss decided to pop his minion s bubble. "What the hell are you doing brat? My family doesn't hear from you in months and you go and summon me into the middle of such a troublesome situation! For a subordinate, you need to learn some respect!" Wincing at the volume, Naruto hoped that the Lizard Lord wouldn't attack in the middle of this. Being talked down to by ones summon was downright embarrassing!

"Sorry boss, but something happened back in Konoha and I needed to make myself scarce for a bit. You can talk about it with the pervert later. But for the moment, please help us out! If we don't do anything a bunch of civilians will get killed!" Taking the annoyed snort as a grudging acceptance, Naruto ran up Gamabunta's back with Enma in tow.

Feeling the tread of two people, the toad boss checked his back. Grunting, he reached for his blade. "Say kid, when did you get multiple summons? Those monkeys s can be pretty damn tough to impress enough to get in on their clan's contract." Drawing his blade the experienced fighter aimed at the enemy lizard. It seemed to be waiting while conserving its strength.

Sweating a bit, Naruto remembered that the Toad's could be pretty picky about their summoners too. If he was not careful, he might lose his original contract! "We can talk about that later! This guy has been killing and eating innocent people for years! He should be weakened, but don't let your guard down! We have to take him out to keep the noncombatants safe!" Blowing out a smoke ring, Gamabunta nodded his agreement. Sighing Enma transformed into his staff form, giving the blonde a valuable weapon. Facing the monstrous lizard, Naruto buckled down. This was going to be one hell of a ride!

-----

Gamabunta tried to focus completely upon the battle in front of him. Based upon the creature's power and age, even its weakened state would not guarantee victory. Despite his best efforts though, the little damn brat was just too distracting. Since when did the kid start using his head like this? Instead of flailing around with bold and uncontrolled power, he was actually beginning to act like a suitable subordinate!

Even though he would gut himself before saying it, the lack of communication with Naruto had begun to worry the Toad Boss. Oh he knew that the brat was alive from his contract signature, and it was not like he wanted to be summoned for every little thing. However, he had expected his sons to get some experience from being this guy's partner. Now, out of the blue he was directly summoned by a Naruto with good chakra control, multiple contracts and a game plan. It was a little much to take in all at once. Jiraiya had better have a good explanation for all this the next time he got his hands on that pervert!

Throwing the staff form of Enma into the air, the brat formed nearly two dozen shadow clones. While the original grabbed the staff, the clones summoned a bunch of naginata from storage scrolls! Finally aggravated enough to lash out, the Lizard summons attacked with its tail. However, the little blonde had called it perfectly. The strike was forced and weak, making it easy for the toad boss to dodge. Lashing out with his tongue, Gamabunta nearly choked when a screaming horde of blondes used the slimy appendage as a bridge. Launching themselves into the air, the clones attacked the Lizard with live steal.

Hanging back, Naruto reared back with Enma activating the staff's special properties. While the Lizard tried to kill the smaller and faster clones, an Enma staff weighing nearly five hundred pounds at two hundred feet of length slammed into his eye. Roaring, the enemy summons lashed out with its tongue, only to miss as Enma returned to a more manageable size. Using the enemy tongue as a spring board, Naruto launched himself back onto Gamabunta's back with a chakra powered leap.

Furious, the Lizard Lord lashed out once again with its tail. However, this time the wily old Toad was ready for him. Deflecting the armored tail with his blade, Gamabunta wasted no time in spewing some oil. After all, what where the chances that this walking wallet could shed its skin like a snake? Obviously reading his plan, Naruto sent another clone towards his pipe. Scrambling, the chakra construct grabbed an ember to launch before disappearing from the resulting damage. It was enough though as the fiery projective ignited the toad oil. The Lizard began screaming as it was engulfed in flames.

Smirking, Gamabunta was about to sheath his sword before sensing an attack from behind. Leaping high into the air, he grumbled at the sight below him. Instead of shedding its skin, the stupid Lizard Lord had substituted out of its armor. While the oil warped and twisted the massive pile of metal, the much faster enemy began to attack with reckless abandon. Its tail could not quite reach far enough, but its tongue sure as hell could. Then the damn thing got the idea to start using said tail as a catapult, launching the damaged terrain at the franticly dodging Toad Boss.

Deflecting the creature's offensive as best as he could, Gamabunta made a vow. He was going to get home, get Jiraiya back to the mountain, and find out what the hell was going on. This battle was worse than that stupid sand raccoon, if only for his enemy s creativity. Naruto should be nowhere near ready for this kind of fight, yet he was managing one without the Toad Sage's guidance. Something stunk here and as boss of the Toads, he would find out what! Minato would never forgive him otherwise.

-----

Running as quickly as possible, Hana prayed that everyone was alright. She had left the civilians under the protection of her canine partners, knowing that they would be enough to deal with anything left in the area. After all, how could any group of bandits really function when there was a giant carnivorous castle lying around? This had turned into an epic battle, and damn it if she was going to be left out of the action. No one messed with an Inuzuka's comrades and lived!

Rounding a corner, the young Kunoichi stopped in her tracks in shock. Before her very eyes, that little brat Naruto was fighting on top of the Toad Boss Gamabunta! Also, unless her eyes were messing with her, he was wielding Enma the Monkey king as a bo staff! How the hell could one little kid not only summon the personal allies of two Hokage's, but get them to fight with him? This was unreal! Shaking her head, she rushed towards to others who were also watching in amazement.

Remembering Kiba's descriptions of Naruto the loser, Hana wondered if mom had dropped him on his head as a kid or something. How the hell could someone who could not make a simple clone start throwing around boss summons and shadow clones like that? The ninja before her was no weakling or class clown. This was someone worthy of respect and admiration! Just what had those fools of the village done to cause such a transformation once all that power was unleashed?

Wincing at a particularly strong tail strike from the enemy summons, Hana approached the silent Hokage. "Alright, all the civilians are out of the way and under my packs protection. So, want to fill me in why we aren't offering some support here? I mean, having one Chunin fight off an enemy summon boss is not exactly my idea of a great plan." Plus, if the little brat got flattened, she would lose her reason for staying out of Konoha.

Not taking her eyes off the battle, Tsunade grunted. "While I would love to help out here, I'm a little nervous about breaking into a fight like that. I haven't had a chance to train Naruto in the intricacies of the Slug summons, and a miss-coordination could disrupt the flow of battle very badly. Besides, after punching a tunnel through solid stone I'm just a little winded. Between Hinata's injuries and Shizune's exhaustion from dealing with the injured civilians, none of us are in an ideal position to get involved with this fight." Looking at a particularly nasty blow take the lizard across the face, the Hokage winced. "Besides, it looks like Naruto has things fully under control for the moment."

Gaping at the woman, the younger Kunoichi swallowed nervously. "So you're telling me that our survival relies on the actions of one teenager fighting for his life? Since when is ninja life something out of a kid's manga?" Sure there were genius ninja with that sort of power around Naruto's age. But it was still a little galling to think that the blonde kid was a member of that club. Besides, a genius would have avoided this fight in the first place.

Smirking, Tsunade let out a small chuckle. "Oh, I wouldn't count the kid out just yet. I'm ready to jump in once things go south. But if there is one thing that this journey has taught me, it's that we've barely seen where Naruto's limits truly are. After all, there's a reason I'm not ready to return to Konoha. He's still not at the level he should have been by now." Trailing off, the Sannin continued to observe the fight in silence.

Blinking, Hana returned her attention to the epic battle before her. Uzumaki Naruto, the dead last member of his graduating class from the Academy, had only just begun to realize his true potential? This was just a fraction of what that boy could accomplish? No wonder Tsunade was so pissed about his treatment! It was almost like cutting away the hands of a musician or blinding a medic! No loyal ninja of Konoha should have so much taken from them for such stupid reasons! It really was unforgivable!

-----

The song of battle screaming in his ears, Naruto unleashed his full fury upon the enemy summons. While he had no real new jutsu yet, the young blonde made up for it with determination, creativity and brute force. Between his weapon wielding shadow clones, the versatile movements of Enma, and Gamabunta's ferocious strikes, the Lizard Lord was losing ground fast. Every attempt to deal with the horde of clones and their allies was met with precision attacks and brutal efficiency. At this point, victory was a foregone conclusion.

That did not mean that it was easy going. The Lizard Lord was a very cunning and veracious opponent. No matter how many wounds he suffered, the giant creature would come back for more. His tail and tongue were the strongest weapons, while a coat of scales deflected most of the physical strikes. Luckily, the creature lacked a melee weapon or any sort of offensive ninjutsu. All his attacks were based upon physical movement and brute force. At least, that was all the creature seemed interested in showing them.

Frowning, Naruto took a moment to consider. A lot of the Lizard Lord's abilities initially seemed geared towards genjutsu. The facade of the castle coupled with its manipulation of the body. While it clearly had some serious transformation skills, not everything could be explained by mere physical manipulation. The only thing that made sense right now was that it could not afford to use genjutsu, and had to rely upon taijutsu to conserve its strength. But why did the damn thing simply not dismiss itself? Such stubbornness was borderline suicidal!

Deciding to end it, Naruto passed off the staff form of Enma to a clone. This technique was very difficult, and nowhere near mastered. Hopefully, the resulting damage would cause the creature to leave already! Calling forth six more clones, the blonde Chunin began to form another modified Rasengan. Holding the giant swirling attack in place, he leaped into the waiting arms of the remaining clone. Wasting no time, the clone launched him at the summons flank at the same time Gamabunta sliced off a section of that damn tail. Like a howling meteor, Naruto crashed into the lizard's ribcage. However instead of a puff of dismissal, he simply managed to produce another giant wound.

Cursing, the determined ninja rebounded off the lizards hide onto the Toad Bosses tanto. Running up the sharpened edge, Naruto grabbed Enma from a stray clone before getting back on Gamabunta's back. Looking at the pitiful Lizard, still posed to fight to the very end, Naruto felt like ripping his hair out at the roots! What the hell was driving this thing to such extremes? The lord was dead, the country long since fallen, yet this guy would not give up! It was pure madness!

Readying for another strike, Naruto glared at the Lizard's uninjured eye. He was expecting to see so many things in that last glance. There could be anger at such a spectacular loss. Maybe he should feel a sense of relief at finally having his long standing stewardship of Neck Country over. Or perhaps a sense of despair and anguish should have developed from his failure. But the emotions reflected in that gaze brought the Chunin up short. In some twisted way, it was almost like looking into a mirror.

-----

Watching Naruto pause in his attack, Tsunade gasped in surprise. As near as she could tell, his aggressive tactics and brute power had nearly killed the enemy summon. Yet on the cusp of victory, the younger blonde held back. Something must be going wrong, and he could not finish the battle. Imagining everything from running out of chakra to a hidden injury, Tsunade began to gear up to retrieve him. However, his next actions froze her in place.

Putting Enma's staff form on his shoulders, Naruto gazed at the Lizard Lord impassively. "Why aren't you dispersing? If you don't return to your homeland, those wounds will kill you. Lord Kouza passed honorably nearly fifty years ago, yet you persist here. How do you justify killing innocents in his name? Or are you just looking for an excuse to die?" His normally happy tone was sad and resigned. It was so unlike the blonde she knew that Tsunade did not know how to deal with it.

Hissing, the mangled summon glared at his opponent with hatred. "What does a person like you know about honor or duty? I was ordered to wreck vengeance upon my master's enemies and have lived for only that purpose all this time. In that final battle, Kubisaki-sama refused to use me as a first line of defense. Instead, he ordered that I destroy his enemies after his fall, so that his legacy would remain forever! Any who have intruded upon my lord's land have fallen, their chakra and bodies consumed to prevent my return in disgrace! Nothing will stop me from fighting for the one man to have my respect! If you want to end this, then kill me. But I refuse to simply lie down and die!"

Sighing, Naruto shook his head. "Ok, but what kind of legacy are you leaving this guy? The people you tried to eat earlier? They were a bunch of civilians trying to enjoy a moon viewing party. I don't even think that their country existed when your war was going on! All your vengeance is doing is causing a cycle of hatred. I've seen what that can do to people, and if you don't stop there will never be any end to it! Someone has to learn when to say enough, or we'll be fighting more wars and losing more precious people until everyone's dead!" Wincing at the emotion there, Tsunade realized that if anyone knew about what hatred could do, it was her favorite brat.

Closing his eyes, the Lizard Lord almost seemed to shrink. "I fight for my lord and his commands. For nearly fifty years I have guarded this spot, never abandoning my post for any reason. To give up on such a promise and forget Kubisaki-sama's last wish would dishonor everything that I stand for." Opening his eyes, the summon prepared its final attack. "I would rather you strike me down here than ignore a command from my lord!" Watching the creature tense, Tsunade prepared to intervene. Naruto had dropped his guard during the discussion and was now vulnerable to attack!

Frowning, the young Chunin snapped his fingers. "Hey, I think I have a way out of this! Why the heck don't I just sign your contract and order you to disperse?" Ignoring the shocked silence this idea produced, the blonde began to happily babble on. "I think that would work. As the new summoner of the Lizard contract I would be your new boss, and since the old one has passed on he couldn't countermand my orders! That way, you remain true to your oaths, no other innocent travelers die in Neck Country, and you have a new purpose again! I mean, sure it's all dramatic to claim that your following the last will and testament of a guy who died years ago, but it's got to get boring after a while!"

Grunting, Gamabunta frowned. "Kid, I don't know what goes on in your head sometimes. We didn't fight this guy to earn the right to summon him and his family! We were dealing with a crazy rouge summon who was eating people! Besides, I don't know how you got those other contracts, but you've got to be nuts if you think that I'm allowing one of my henchmen to control a crazy lizard!" Tsunade found herself nodding unconsciously. I mean, it was a kind of noble sentiment, but this thing had to be unhinged.

Pouting, Naruto slammed Enma down on the Toad Boss's head with some force. "But boss, you heard what he said! He's just being a loyal summon following his final order. Besides, if I allowed moments of insanity to faze me, then I wouldn't have become friends with Gaara! Anyways, we've fought him off and even you have to admit this guy is strong! Even tired with limited chakra, he's managed to hold off both you and Enma for nearly half an hour! That's got to count for something!" Sighing, Tsunade rubbed her temples in irritation. Someday that kid's obsession with saving people from themselves was going to drive her insane.

Changing from his staff form, Enma rubbed his chin in contemplation. "You know Gamabunta, the child has a point. This summon has been serving its duty for decades without fail. It would be almost criminal to leave things as they are when we could change them so easily. I don't know about you, but I'll support Naruto's suggestion. Such a loyal ally could only be a boon to him and his companions. Now though, I think I'll take a break. Very good job my student." Smiling, Enma dispersed himself with the smallest of pops.

Taking a deep drag of his pipe, the Toad Boss let loose a smoky breath of resignation. "I guess that makes sense. Now we are going to have a very long talk before too much longer, but I guess I can give you my blessing to accept this guy as a minion for a while. Just remember to bring a lot of booze as soon as possible. I think I need a serious drink after this." With that bold pronouncement, Gamabunta disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Waving to the still form of the Lizard Lord, Naruto ran back to join the frozen group. Reaching past Hinata, he grabbed the Lizard Summoning Contract. Tsunade could only stare as he cut his finger before signing in the next available spot. Turning to the wounded summon, the blonde grinned. "Alright mister Lizard Lord, I've beaten the pants of off you and signed the contract. So are you going to accept me as your new master or what?"

Shaking, the boss summon seemed to have trouble controlling itself. Tsunade, thinking that the creature was about to lash out now that the other bosses were gone, prepared to summon Katsuyu. Instead, she nearly fell down when the creature began to belly laugh. "Oh, what a mess I seem to have gotten myself into! This is too rich! After so many years of effort and pain, I am defeated by a child whom claims lordship over me! It is almost too much to bear!" Falling down, the Lizard Lord managed a few more dry chuckles before cringing in pain. "It seems I have no choice. Introduce yourself, my lord and give me your command!"

Smirking, the young Chunin approached the Lizard Lord without fear. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha! For my first command Lizard Lord, I order you to return home and recover! You have guarded this place well for too long, but it's time for a break! I would be honored to call for your aide in battle once again!" Tsunade blinked as Naruto gave the slightest of bows, signifying the lower position in the hierarchy that the summon now had. Just what had those nobles been teaching the knucklehead?

Nodding somewhat lower, the mighty summons sighed. "I thank you Lord, for your kindness. I will strive to recover as quickly as possible to return to your service. I and my family are now yours to command. Farewell for now." With a massive explosion of dispersed air, the Lizard Lord returned home for the first time since that ill-fated battle so long ago. As if to emphasize the dramatic moment, the sun chose that point to rise.

Smiling, Naruto let out a whoop of delight. "Alright, now I have another awesome summons! That is so cool!" Relaxed, the younger blonde dispersed his remaining clone army with a negligent hand sign. Blinking, he froze before toppling over unconscious. Gasping, Tsunade ran over to check on the young Chunin. Making a medical scan, she sighed in irritation. Well, the kid might have gotten a new ally, but now she had to deal with more trouble. This was going to piss the kid off like nothing else.

-----

Bowing, Hikari smiled brightly at Tsunade. "I thank you on behalf of my father, Tsunade-sama. I assure you that once we return home, I will recommend in the strongest possible terms to upgrade the payment to an A-class mission. Please, may I know the name of that young ninja who fought the beast of so easily?" Noting the stars in the young girl's eyes, Tsunade sighed. What was is about that brat and attracting noblewomen?

"Oh, that's just Uzumaki Naruto. I've recently taken him as an apprentice, and I admit that he shows some promise. Unfortunately, he's still dealing with some long term injuries at the moment and won't be available for missions for a while. In addition, that battle strained him a bit, so I'm afraid he cannot pay his respects. However, I'll pass on your thanks to him." There, now the kid's fame would grow without Hinata trying to kill her. This way, everybody would win!

Bowing again, the party made to depart. They had decided that taking out a giant Lizard summons was more than enough effort for the ninja. Dealing with a long term ninja technique that no one had reported for over fifty years already pushed the envelope for the bounds of Hana's original mission. Technically, all she was required to do was locate the missing people and send them on their way. Tsunade had made a point of telling them that she would send word to Jiraiya that the mission was a success. After seeing the edges of Naruto's epic battle, no one felt like haggling.

Grinning, the blonde Hokage watched the civilians head into the distance. The seeds she had just planted would be very useful for later. Somehow, Naruto was becoming a key player in several countries with everything from skill to dumb luck. According to the feedback she had gotten from her shadow clone, he was considered a national hero in Wave Country. The Land of Spring was always sending requests for his old team whenever they needed foreign ninja. Not to mention how Waterfall Village still talked about his heroics. The kicker, though, was that all these situations had happened before they had even set out! Now, three more groups owed the kid, and they were not even back in Konoha yet!

She knew that the Land of Fire was considered the strongest of the nations right now. However, the fact was that the more countries that owed the kid, the more pressure that could be brought against the Fire Daimyo. If he wanted to play politics, Tsunade could not wait when all these little allied countries started clamoring to help the blonde brat. She could just picture the look on his face, and it was priceless! With Naruto's luck, half the freaking world would want to help out before too much longer!

Sighing, Tsunade began to stretch out. That battle was a little draining, but at least she knew that the younger Chunin were coming along nicely. Things were only going to get more difficult from here on out, so thank goodness that both Naruto and Hinata seemed ready for the trials ahead. Although, after all the excitement she thought they could use a break. All work and no play made you get wrinkles, and that was one thing she definitely did not want to see in the mirror by the end of this. She was under enough pressure as it was.

-----

Watching sensei see the civilian party off, Hinata felt like sulking. Once again Naruto had needed her help, and she had to stand by weak and useless. It seemed like no matter what the young Hyuga did, either her aid came too late or was not needed. While she admired the blonde's determination, she was not expecting him to fight that well. What was the point of supporting her crush if he did not need her around? Instead of joining in the battle, she was forced to recover from a concussion while he managed three A-class techniques at once!

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Hinata turned to the worried gaze of Shizune. "Is everything alright Hinata-chan? You're not still injured are you? I hope that you'll take the time to rest up while you can. Things are sure to get trickier from now on." Seeing her honest concern, the younger Kunoichi decided to reach out for some help. Normally she tried not to be a bother, but Shizune had proven herself a good and reliable confidant. Perhaps she would know what to do.

"I'm sorry sempai, it's just so confusing. I thought that I was stronger and that all my trials and training made me able to help Naruto-kun. But the first time that he needs to go all out, I'm off to the side unconscious. It just seems unfair that all that effort did nothing in the end." It was not like she was a master of the positive spin. That sort of thing was what she had Naruto around for in the first place, as unfair as it could be at times.

Sighing, the older medic drew the shy girl into a small hug. "Now I don't want you thinking like that, Hinata-chan. Just because Naruto finally gets to show off again does not take away from your accomplishments. While we have had indicators that Naruto has improved greatly since our journey began, this is the first time he has really had a chance to cut loose." Smirking slightly, she pointed to the blonde's latest acquisition. "Remember, without your help Naruto would have been forced to attempt to destroy that contract. It might have been the original goal, but now we have a new summoning creature to help us out while we travel. Not only does that help us with a few surprises for any of our enemies, it's a weapon that will keep on giving."

Thinking about the elder apprentice s words, Hinata began to smile. While Naruto probably could have pulled the mission off without her, Shizune had a point. If they had simply destroyed the contract, a valuable treasure would have been lost for all time. If the creature had been dispersed by the action, then the Lizard Clan would be banned from their plain of existence. But if Naruto's theory about a screw up was right, he would have been forced to kill the Lizard Lord for its loyalty. Now neither possibility would be a concern.

Shyly returning the partial hug, Hinata nodded with determination. "Thank you, sempai. I'll try not to worry about it again. Now let's get the rest of the supplies. I don't think that we'll be able to hide here for very long." Patting her head, Shizune headed towards the bags. Revitalized by the faith of the older woman, Hinata followed with her head held high.

-----

Looking at the blonde Hokage gather her troops, Hana suppressed a wince. Because of their help with her mission, the other group had once again become too exposed. Now they would have to leave Neck Country without indulging in any additional training. That meant that Naruto could not learn how to use the Slug Summons, and valuable time would be lost in their relocation. Not only did that put them in greater danger, it pretty much assured that she had lost her best chance to leave Konoha for the immediate future.

Trying to maintain her cool, Hana forced a grin. "Well, I can't thank you guys enough for your help. If I had tried to tackle that mission alone, I probably would have become that things next meal. I'll keep quiet about your last location, and know that you'll go far. So take care of yourselves, alright?" Now she just had to come up with her next excuse to mom. Maybe she should go MIA for a bit in Moon Country?

Blinking, Tsunade shot her an odd look. "What are you talking about Hana? I fully expect you to be ready to depart within the next twenty minutes as well. I sure as hell am not leaving anyone behind, and I'm positive that you can keep up with our pace." The younger Kunoichi knew that it was not very dignified, but she really did not care. Gaping like a fish was the only thing left for her to do after that pronouncement.

Shaking her head in denial, Hana looked at her leader in shock. "How did I pass your trial? I was useless in dealing with the Summon, didn't detect the damn thing before it ate us, and ran away with the civilians when it began to attack! If that mission was your only example of my abilities, there shouldn't be a reason for you to want me along!" Sure, it would suck to talk the woman out of the opportunity, but better this get straightened out now than later down the road in the middle of nowhere.

Blinking, Tsunade grinned. "Is that what you think? I saw a young Kunoichi work well under pressure, cooperate and listen to her orders perfectly, and insure the safety of the civilian clients to complete the mission. Why would I have an issue with your performance? In all honesty, I have more problems with Naruto's behavior."

Looking over at the younger blonde packing his things, the Hokage lowered her voice. "He might have defeated the summon, Naruto put both himself and others in danger by insisting that the contract not be destroyed. While he worked very well with his summoned allies that was the first time he had worked at the same time with both subjects. Either could have departed, irritated that he wanted them to cooperate with no warning. There were a lot of risks in that battle, and while it turned out alright, the kid still has much to learn. Having another skilled Kunoichi for backup and provide training could only help us in the long run."

Patting her on the shoulder, Tsunade sported a grin. "Shizune told me about her theories about Naruto's sensory ability. It hasn't been an issue because, quite honestly, we have been swamped dealing with stuff like re-teaching him to walk. Now that the brat has recovered most of his major motor functions, I think that having some additional training to enhance his senses would only help him in the long run. In the end, what better sensei could there be for him than an Inuzuka? Besides, having another Kunoichi around might just force Hinata to get a little aggressive. All this sweet and hesitant fluff is beginning to bug the hell out of me."

Blinking, Hana also smirked. That actually did sound like a lot of fun. "Alright Tsunade-sama, I am now yours to command. Let me know what you want, and I'll help you to the best of my ability. On my honor, I so do swear!" That way she would not have to worry about any conflicting loyalties down the road.

Nodding in acceptance of the oath, Tsunade quickly summoned a slug. Writing up a scroll, the Hokage began her orders. "I want you to go to Jiraiya in Konoha and inform him of the details of the mission. In addition, let him know that I will be accepting Inuzuka Hana as an additional member of my security detail. Therefore, she is to be dropped from consideration from the Uchiha Breeding Project. Also, let that old pervert know that we will be having words on how he managed the whole affair, but I want the candidates to begin the treatments at once. He has become a bit too sidetracked lately, and I want that taken care of." Bowing, the slug disappeared at once in a cloud of smoke.

Turning to the others, the blonde grinned. "Alright, now that we're all ready to go, I say it's time for some fun. After all, battling giant Lizards is definitely a sign that you need to go to the beach! As of now, it's time to hit the waves!" Shouting their affirmations, the group headed out with a happy Hana as the rear guard.

-----

Author's Notes

…and finished!

Normally, I hate leaving things at a cliffhanger, but there was no way I could release the Neck Country Adventure in one sitting. It took too much time and effort to produce, so I had to stretch things out as much as I could. Sorry about that. -_-;;;

Now since this was a cliffy, I wasn't expecting a lot of questions until the chapter was officially closed. However, there was an odd trend that several reviewers partook in. Apparently, I am 'copying' other stories because they all dealt with Naruto and company dealing with a massive castle that's actually a transformed summon creature.

While I appreciate the sentiment that most had, stating such things that they liked mine more and they just did not want me to get in trouble, I am afraid I must direct your attention to Perfect Lionheart's main page. If you look over the requirements for the Missing Hokage Challenge, you'll notice that one of the elements of the challenge is to successfully capture and convert the lizard summoning contract. I am not attempting to steal other author's ideas. I am simply trying to follow the rules of the story.

Thanks for the concern, though.

Oh and sorry about missing the section break in the last chapter's authors notes. My bad…

Now, since I'm sure that many of you are curious, our next chapter has us back in Konoha.  
The question is…who is the mysterious artist? Stay tuned!


	25. BIK: A Portrait of Madness

No I don't own Naruto. Do you know what his fan-girls would do to me if I did?

Back in Konoha!

Chapter Twenty Three Part One: A Portrait of Madness

Breathing steadily, Sakura ran through the forest early in the morning. The sky was clear, the air was fresh, and for once the exercise was energizing rather than exhausting. For the first time in a while, the young Genin was content. Ever since joining Team Eight, Sakura was pushed past her physical limits more than at any other time in her life. To help her conditioning, Kurenai sensei had encouraged her to begin an independent calisthenics program. Between special stretches and taijutsu kata, the young Kunoichi found herself enjoying an occasional early morning run. It got her blood pumping, and allowed her to practice her observational tracking while moving at high speeds. All in all, it was an excellent way to get stronger.

The practice had even started to include chances for team bonding. While Shino was not overly interested in such exercise, Kiba had been joining her more and more lately. Not only was it a good chance for him to work on his combo moves with Akamaru, the morning runs gave him a chance to avoid his household for the moment. While he was somewhat slow in opening up, Sakura had gathered that the tension between his mom and sister was only getting worse. Rumors around the village had spoken of public fights, cumulating with a near-brawl in the market district last week. However, with Hana's current mission keeping her away, Kiba was notably absent this morning. Perhaps Tsume-san was getting lonely with all the issues lately. It was too bad though. When he was not trying to be a jerk, the Inuzuka was actually a lot of fun to hang out with.

Trying to enjoy the solitude while she could, Sakura noticed someone unusual. Sitting in front of a canvas, was a young girl. Although somewhat pale, her silky brown hair swayed elegantly in the breeze. With a little work, Sakura thought the odd teen would look quite lovely. Slowing down, she approached the figure, honestly a little curious. Between her time in the Academy and Civilian schools, the Kunoichi thought she was familiar with most of the younger members of the village. Yet this girl was completely unknown to her. So, in the matter of teenage girls, she decided to see if this was a potential friend or foe.

Clearing her throat, Sakura gave her brightest smile. "Hello, I'm sorry to bother you. But I saw you painting and thought I would take a look. My name is Haruno Sakura, what's yours?" However, despite her best Naruto impression, the girl remained focused upon her art work. Sweat dropping, Sakura wondered if it was just a blonde thing. Naruto and Ino seemed capable of striking conversations up with anyone at the drop of a hat using some simple kindness. Yet her attempt had fallen flatter than a pancake. Sometimes life was just not fair.

A bit on the irritated side, the young Kunoichi was about to try again before noticing something odd. Looking closely at the painting, Sakura turned to the unknown girl. "What the heck? Why do you have the Hokage Tower on fire?" Not to say that it was poorly done or anything. In fact, the detail was so good it was almost like she could reach out and touch it. Where had such a talented artist been hiding all this time? Of course, the pink haired girls thoughts where interrupted by a sudden rumbling. Looking around, Sakura was shocked by the sight of a bolt of lightning striking the tower, making a fire that matched the painting.

Looking on in shock, Sakura turned towards the girl only to be shoved out of the way. Getting up, she was treated to the sight of two odd medical ninja subduing the girl quickly and efficiently. Worried about a possible assault, she reached for a kunai only to be stopped by the appearance of an ANBU. "Stand down Genin. This is a matter of village security. You will leave here and forget what you have seen." Gulping, Sakura was forced to watch helplessly as the unknown girl was dragged away without so much as an introduction. Just what was going on here?

Shaking her head, Sakura realized that she had to hurry to make practice on time. Picking up speed, she thought about the girl again. Someone who warranted their own ANBU guard and medic team had to be important. But if the person was really dangerous, they would have been kept in the prison. That meant that the girl had some sort of political position, so she probably belonged to one of the clans. Maybe Shino or Kiba had heard of her? If so, she had better get there to ask! Goal firmed, Sakura moved as quickly as she dared. This was going to bother her until she got to the bottom of it!

-----

Kurenai always thought of herself as a serous Kunoichi. It was a dangerous and dark profession, forcing them to do anything from assassinations to seductions. Luckily, due to the fact that she was so skilled in genjutsu, the Jonin had never had to take one of the latter missions to its full conclusion. That did not mean that she lacked a sense of humor though, and the sight of a singed and grumpy Jiraiya, greatest pervert of Konoha would normally force her to crack a smile. Tragically, the subject of the conversation was serious enough to keep any expression off of her face. Her first failure as a teacher was always going to be a sore point for the Jonin.

Sitting at the Hokage's desk, the Toad Sage was fuming. "Kurenai, I know that I sometimes come off as an idiot when it comes to women, but what the hell where you thinking?" Slamming his hand next to an open scroll, he glared at her as if she had set one of his books on fire. "The Yakumo situation was extremely delicate, and while I don't always agree with the views of the old man, this time he was right on the money! The Kurama abilities in genjutsu are amazing, but to have one of their greatest prodigies unable to control such power would have been a nightmare! Sealing her skills was the only option available and I for one am thankful that it was authorized."

Pointing to the scroll once again, Jiraiya practically growled. "However, I am not known for a mastery of seals for nothing! As her sensei, it was your responsibility to insure that Yakumo never became a threat to herself or others. Yet, instead of properly sealing off her chakra to insure the end of it, you instead decided to use a secondary bonding seal which only prevented her from molding chakra! That power was still there, straining against the bonds and strengthening over time, only to come out full blast today! If it has grown powerful enough, your seal will be rendered useless and Yakumo will be that much more dangerous than before!"

This was the fear that had haunted Kurenai since taking on Team Eight full time. The idea of teaching was one that the Genjutsu mistress valued beyond all others. Watching her Genin grow and develop under her teachings brought a smile to her face and a light to her soul. It did not matter how many people she had killed or ruined as a ninja when she could feel that moment of enlightenment from a pupil. It was that love of teaching that had led her to Yakumo, a girl that reminded her of her own skill at that age, in the first place. But it was those feelings for that student that had led to her insufficient bonding of Yakumo's powers. She could simply not bring herself to extinguish such a lovely light, and had allowed her emotions to rule her decisions. Such sentimentality had now led to the situation and a rapidly shrinking set of options.

Straightening out her back, the Genjutsu mistress faced the dressing down without complaint. Honestly, she deserved it to some degree and would allow the leader to vent. That did not mean she was willing to sacrifice her career at the moment. "I was simply ordered to remove her abilities in Genjutsu. The mechanism I chose at the time seemed sufficient. I am unsure through what means Yakumo has continued to develop her Genjutsu abilities to the point of breaking the seal, but I admit I did not anticipate them. For that oversight, I honestly apologize."

Sighing, Jiraiya rubbed his eyes in irritation. "That's not good enough Kurenai. I might be a little peeved at the village populace right now, but that doesn't mean I want a teenager with a grudge summoning lightning bolts to wreck the place! I've seen the results of this sort of formula before. Effectively, all you did was prevent her conscious mind from molding jutsu. That did nothing for her unconscious mind that, if the reports are accurate, was not the most stable thing around. If her subconscious hatred and fears overwhelms her mind, Yakumo will be designated a threat to Konoha and eliminated stop any further destruction. What do you have to say to that, Jonin?"

Sighing, Kurenai knew that Jiraiya was right. In a way, she was responsible for the current crisis, and it was not something that could simply be overlooked. That left her with one option. "I humbly ask to go to Yakumo's current residence and attempt a proper sealing once again. Yakumo was my student and I am the best one to deal with the situation. However, I must ask that, in order to prevent a repeat of this situation, I be removed as sensei from Team Eight. It would be unfair to their development if I was to also fail them in such a manner." Plus, after losing Yakumo again, she would be in no shape to deal with teaching for a while, if ever again.

-----

Petting Akamaru, Sakura felt much calmer. Like Kiba, the little puppy was shameless around girls and sought out comfort any chance he got. Unlike Kiba, Akamaru was cute and fun to pamper. "So when I came up to her, I noticed that the painting was wrong. It had angry clouds in the sky with lightening everywhere, while it's perfectly nice out today. But when I went to correct her, the weather changed to match the portrait. Next thing I know, the Hokage's Tower is on fire and two medical ninja where subduing her. Then an ANBU came out of nowhere and told me to forget about it. I don't know anyone besides a clan member who would warrant that much attention. Do either of you have an idea who she might be?"

Frowning, Kiba leaned back against a tree. "Sorry Sakura, but Hana was the one who paid attention to all that crap. I know the basics of who belongs to what family, but a random girl painting in the middle of nowhere doesn't ring any bells. Unless the family is in hiding or something I can't think of any particular group that it might be. What about you Shino? You know of any girls from the clans around our age with decent artistic skills?"

Pushing his glasses up, the bug ninja shook his head. "I am also at a loss. The facts that you have presented us do suggest someone with clan standing. Yet no one that I am familiar with matches such a description. Perhaps Sensei will have an idea when she gets here. Jonin are usually tasked to be familiar with all the clan heirs in case of emergency or possible kidnapping threats." Sighing, Sakura had to agree. If anyone would know someone like that it would be a Jonin. Hopefully, Kurenai-sensei would be in the mood to talk before practice.

Lying down, Sakura felt Akamaru settle down in a ball on her stomach. Giggling, she started to stare at the clouds to relax. But no matter how hard she tried, the young Kunoichi could not get the image of the odd girl out of her mind. How could someone cause something like lightening so easily? It really had been amazing. Giving up trying to distract herself as a bad job, she wondered out loud. "I wonder if the painting was the center of a ninjutsu ritual or something. That would be kind of incredible, wouldn't it?"

"While the timing is suspect, there are a few problems with that theory. The amount of chakra required to pull off such a destructive technique would be quite notable, and any patrol team of ANBU would have noticed long before she managed to execute the jutsu. In addition, you were right there and she did not attempt to stop your interference. If an enemy Kunoichi, she would have acted against any threat before attempting to destroy the Hokage's Tower. Finally, you could not have been more than ten feet from her from the start of the incident. How could she release such an effect without you noticing the use of Chakra?" Listening to Shino's argument, Sakura couldn't help but frown. Those were actually some very good points. How would something like that be possible?

Before the discussion could get any more heated, Kurenai appeared only slight late. Getting to her feet, Sakura was about to ask the Jonin questions before looking at her face. Something was bothering the woman, and for her to actually show so much expression meant it had to be huge. "I apologize for being late, but Jiraiya-sama had an important assignment for me. It will occupy an undetermined amount of time, so I will not be available to help with your training for the immediate future. I have just come from talking with Asuma, and he has agreed to run a series of joint exercises for the next few days. If this takes longer than Team Ten is available, I have requested that he help arrange alternate training. In worse case, please request additional training from your respective clans."

Shocked by the abrupt dismissal, Sakura shivered. Over the last few months of work, she had begun to really look up to her new sensei. Kurenai was a tough but fair instructor, and made a point of trying to teach the younger Kunoichi to the best of her considerable ability. Never before had she felt such a sense of pride in her accomplishments, and to have it stop so abruptly was difficult to contemplate. Sakura knew that, as a Jonin, Kurenai might be assigned missions that where more than the team could handle, but having it shoved in her face left her feeling cold. Forcing herself to calm down, Sakura tried to stay positive. "Sensei, do you have any suggestions about my Genjutsu training? If you're going to be gone, I probably should get some additional practice in while the others are working with their clans."

Stiffening, Kurenai turned to face her newest student. Sakura could not quite place the look in her eye, but it left her feeling unsettled. "For the moment I would suggest suspending your genjutsu training while I am unavailable to supervise. I am, after all, the most qualified to deal with it. Now I think that Team Ten is waiting in training ground seven, so you had better move out." Not waiting for a response the Kunoichi leapt away. Turning to Shino, Sakura saw signs of her own confusion at Sensei's behavior. Why the hell did she sound so bitter about the being the best to handle genjutsu training?

-----

Launching herself from branch to branch, Kurenai allowed her thoughts to wander. Here, alone in the trees of Konoha, she was safe enough to contemplate her own thoughts without being reviewed. As proud as she was of her team, their ability to read emotions was sometimes irritating. Shino had clearly realized something was wrong, and Sakura of all people was not far behind him. As annoyed as she had been with the girl initially, Kurenai had to admit she had grown. In fact, training the younger Kunoichi in genjutsu was actually quite satisfying. That did not mean that she wanted to discuss her past with Kurama Yakumo. While close to her team, there had to be some boundaries. Of course, that old pervert had to insist that they remain her team, misgivings or no.

_Looking at her, Jiraiya shook his head. "I know that I said that I come off as something an idiot at times Kurenai, but I would never do something so foolish. I've seen you with those kids, and they practically worship the ground you walk on! Do you have any idea what sorts of damage it could do to them to have the one person they admire beyond all others turn their back on them? It's just not worth the risk."_

_Standing the Toad Sage sighed. "That doesn't even take into account just how good you are as their Sensei. Each is showing a level of growth that I would be surprised to see with another year of training under their belt. Their coordination, offensive and defensive abilities are just too effective to be ignored. Even with the inclusion of Haruno, Team Eight is still one of the best Genin squads in the field. Besides, it's not like we have that many available Jonin right now, and no one else I would trust to train a veteran Genin team. Most would have to start from the ground up when molding them. These kids would just compare any other sensei to you and that would ruin their leader's ability to control them. I'm sorry Kurenai but I have no plans to allow you to abandon this team."_

_Biting her lip, Kurenai tried to make him see reason. As much as she loved teaching, she would not be able to focus on the problem if she had to worry about Team Eight at the same time. "Please, Jiraiya-sama I beg of you. As the Yakumo issue shows, I have major issues being a Sensei. Team Eight might follow me today, but what would happen if something I showed them or did not show them caused another situation like this? Until I can fix my mistake, I do not believe I can be trusted with the welfare of students." It hurt to admit that, but the Regent left her with no choice. It really was for the best that things be ended before they went wrong again._

_Turning to face her, Jiraiya fixed the Jonin with a glare. "If I was to remove you from your post there would be a couple of conditions. First, you would have to bring your Genin team here right now. Then, we would go over the details of the Kurama Incident in detail. You would be required to give them the unedited truth concerning every aspect of the situation including Yakumo's loss of control with her parents. Then, you would have to see if they would be willing to allow you to be released from your duties as their Sensei after understanding the entire situation. Are you willing to do that?"_

_Few things could shock Kurenai, but what the Sannin described left her gaping. The entire list of demands was outrageous! "You know I cannot do that! Not only would it reveal several high security facts to people without proper clearance, it would violate a direct order from the Sandaime! No matter what my personal or professional feelings on the subject, I would never do something like that! You should know better than to ask!"_

_Slamming his hand against the wall, Jiraiya smirked at her. "Just as I should know better than to violate a direct order from the Sandaime, you should know better than to make me violate a directive from the Godaime! You were instructed to focus on training your team and bringing Haruno Sakura up to speed. This wasn't just to help develop your Genin, but protect you as well! You are one of the few who are aware of what exactly Tsunade is hiding, and as painful as it might be, you are worth more alive training a Genin team than out in the field acting as a full Jonin! That is your mission and you shall not fail it!" Shocked, Kurenai felt herself sit down. She had not thought of it in quite a light before._

_Sighing, the Toad Sage retook his seat. "Do not presume to believe that you are the first ninja to feel like a failure. There are so many things in my life that I have regretted it's not even funny. In all honestly, I don't think that this situation is completely your fault. The Sandaime should have mandated a stronger seal, or in the worst case scenario contacted me to do the sealing personally. You both underestimated the girl, and now we're left with this mess." Leaning back, the Sannin gave a tired chuckle. "That being said, it would be kind of hypocritical for me not to allow you a chance to fix your mistakes. So let's see what we can do." _

In the end, she had been allowed a short sabbatical to try to evaluate Yakumo and determine how damaged her seal had become. Then, she would be responsible for repairing the seal or calling Jiraiya-sama to fix it himself. However, upon the completion of her mission, she would return to teaching Team Eight. They simply needed her too much to be abandoned like that. Despite her misgivings, Kurenai found herself smiling at the thought. It was nice to be wanted every now and then.

Her moment of introspection was cut short by an instinctive warning. Jonin instincts earned from years of hard work had the Genjutsu mistress halting at once. Although nothing seemed out of place, and they were still deep in Konoha territory, Kurenai was still on alert. This time of day there should be more noise from the local wild life. So, either she had startled them, unlikely at the speeds she had been traveling, or something was seriously wrong. Grabbing a kunai, she decided the second option. This was proven correct by the barrage of weaponry coming right at her.

-----

After hearing from Asuma-sensei that she and Shikamaru would be working with Team Eight today while he helped out Chouji with his special moves, the young Yamanaka had been thrilled. She and Sakura had not had a chance to properly spar in weeks and she was looking forward to the challenge. However, upon looking her friend over, Ino knew something was wrong. The other girl was clearly distracted, and it reflected in their training. While it was a lot harder to catch Sakura off guard, Ino could tell she was holding back for some reason. So she waited until everyone was taking a break before finding out what was happening. Maybe in her exhausted state, Sakura would be more willing to open up?

Sitting down, Ino unleashed her best smile. It tended to make boys walk into walls, but most of her friends just got relaxed. She only used it when she was being honest and no one she was close with had anything to fear from that. "So what's bothering you Sakura? You should have put up more of a fight than that! I know you can do better than this!" Of course, her tact could sometimes go out the window, but such is life.

Sighing, Sakura looked up at the clouds with a forlorn expression on her face. "I'm just worried about Kurenai-sensei. It was so weird to have her leave like that, and her expression really concerned me. It was like she was trying to hide something, and didn't really want to. It could not have meant anything good." Seeing her depression growing, Ino patted her on the back. She had done the same thing when trying to figure out if a boy liked her or not.

"I think you're just over thinking this a bit. I mean, Kurenai-sensei is a Jonin and it is expected for her to get different missions every now and then. We don't exactly have a lot of Jonin lying around at the moment to take care of things. She was probably just worried about whatever she would have to do." Of course, it would have to go without saying that if Sakura was good enough to read the emotions of a Jonin that she would eat her new cloak.

Clearing his throat, Shino decided to intercede. "As unlikely as it might be, I agree with Sakura on this. I have worked closely with Kurenai-sensei for many months now, and the signs of distress where fairly obvious. As a Jonin she is very strong, but she does tend to drop her barriers around those she cares for. Coupled with the odd events from this morning, and it looks very suspicious." Blinking, Ino turned towards Sakura for more information. There had been something odd going on that she had missed? That just could not stand!

Pinching her nose, Sakura looked at her in resignation. "The short version is that I met someone during my morning run. It was some strange pale girl painting, and I noticed that the picture didn't match what she was looking at. It was supposed to be the Hokage Tower, but there where all these storm clouds and stuff. But when I tried to point that out, this storm came out of nowhere and lightning struck the tower. Before I could do anything else, two medic ninja came and subdued her while an ANBU told me to get lost. That kind of treatment sounded like someone in the clans, but Shino and Kiba had no idea who she was and Kurenai-sensei left before I could ask." Frowning, Ino saw what they were talking about. Predicting an attack like that did sound kind of suspicious.

Wait a second, did she hear that right? "Did you say it was a pale girl who was painting?" Seeing the other nod, Ino frowned. That sounded so damn familiar, it was on the tip of her tongue. "Was she was around our age, with long brown hair and an absurdly clear complexion?" Seeing Sakura's eyes go wide, Ino knew that she had hit pay dirt. But what was going on here? "Why the hell would the heir of the Kurama clan do something like that?" Noticing the intense attention of everyone else in the field, Ino sighed. This was going to be a headache.

-----

Dodging, Kurenai mentally cursed as another barrage of weapons nearly pierced her side. Something about this clearing was horribly suspect, but with all the attacks aimed at her blind spots, she lacked the time needed to figure out what. With that unwelcome distraction affecting her balance, the Genjutsu mistress was a sitting duck. Feeling the sting of a near miss, she finally substituted herself behind a tree. Unless something changed quickly, she was going to be in real trouble!

Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Kurenai examined the field once again. She knew that there was not much time available before the assailants renewed their assault, so she had to work quickly. Taking into account everything her senses where telling her, the experienced Kunoichi realized just what the problem was. The plant life was not moving in synch to the flow of the air. That meant a very advanced Genjutsu beyond what most were capable of! Flaring her chakra, the Genjutsu Mistress dispersed the illusion, revealing her enemy.

Two unfamiliar Chunin where waiting in the middle of the clearing. Their skin tone was somewhat sallow, and muscle development indicated a non-confrontational specialty. Other than that, nothing about the enemy's physical characteristics stood out. No, the shocking thing was that each wore the mark of Leaf ninja! Besides her, there was only one party of Leaf ninja capable of such high level Genjutsu. The Kurama clan had apparently decided to take matters into their own hands.

Unfortunately for them, Kurenai was considered the strongest non-clan prodigy in the field of Genjutsu currently available. That meant that she knew all their possible tricks, and had a few of her own to boot. Forming hand seals, Kurenai leapt at the two ninja, apparently attempting a suicidal charge. Sighing, the taller Kurama threw a kunai, causing the attacking Kunoichi to disperse into sakura petals. "Give us some credit, Kurenai. You are very skilled, but only an idiot would fall for a technique that simple."

"Lucky for me then that both of you are worse than idiots." Before they could comprehend her odd comment the scattered petals transformed into clinging vines. Shouting in shock, the two Kurama ninja began to slash at the rapid plant growth, only to be restrained by the much stronger, layered illusion. Smirking a bit in victory, Kurenai began to move as quickly as she could towards the safe house. As good as she was that technique could not restrain a Kurama for very long.

Wincing, the Jonin realized that the exchange had not been totally in her favor. One of their final barrage of kunai had sliced deeply into her side, drawing blood. As a ninja, she was trained to fight through pain, but this injury could become dangerous if left untreated for too long. However none of that mattered right now. If the Kurama felt strong enough to kill someone under the Hokage's personal protection, then she had no time to waste. For all she knew, a dozen other ninja could already be attacking her old student. Kurenai might have let Yakumo down once before, but she would be damned if that happened again! Hearing the newly freed Kurama ninja swearing, she began to push herself even faster.

-----

Standing before her peers, Ino began to feel like an Academy Sensei. Everyone was curious about who the heck was so important, and eagerly awaited her information. Biting back a giggle, the Kunoichi suddenly felt nostalgic. This was the first time since moving out of the clan properties that she had shared juicy gossip with her fellow Genin. It was just as much fun as she remembered. Although the fact that Shikamaru did not know this was a little odd. Why did the Nara never talk with one another? It could not all be troublesome.

"Alright, the Kurama Clan has been around for awhile. In terms of status, they're right around the Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi clans. But instead of specializing in a specific set of techniques, they had a powerful kekkei genkai. Where our clans have unique skills developed over time, the Kurama were just prodigies at Genjutsu. Their natural talent was so incredible, that some enemies could be convinced to kill themselves from the intensity. From what I hear, besides certain ANBU, Kurenai is the only one to have talent in Genjutsu to that degree." Watching everyone pay attention, Ino preened a bit. This was so much fun!

Taking a new lecturing pose, the blonde sighed. "Unfortunately, the Kurama have been in decline over the last few generations. Some masters died on missions without passing on their knowledge. Other members had unusually low birth rates, weakening them further. If things continue to progress like this, the Kurama clan will be lost within another couple of generations." Noting Sakura's shocked expression, Ino shrugged. "It happens every now and then. Between war and bad luck, the strongest of clans can fall. Anyways, the girl you described sounds like Kurama Yakumo the current clan heir. Apparently, she's the strongest prodigy the clan has produced in years."

Frowning, Kiba scratched his nose. "I don't get it. If this clan used to be such a big deal, why haven't Shino and I ever heard of it? At the same time, why do you know so much about them? If they've grown so weak, shouldn't they be trying to make alliances with the other clans or something? At the very least, I would have thought the clan elders would have arranged a marriage for the girl already. That sort of thing always makes the rounds of the village social network."

Smirking, Ino winked. "That's where it get's interesting! Yakumo is reported to be a genius level Genjutsu user, but very physically weak. She probably would have faded into obscurity because of this if a certain incident didn't happen." Seeing that she had everyone's attention, the Yamanaka went for the kill. "You see, not long after her parents pulled her from the program, someone killed them with a power fire technique. The whole Yamanaka clan went nuts trying to find who might have done something like that. I don't know if they ever found the person who did it, but not long after that, Yakumo was isolated from the village. Some think that it's a power ploy by her uncle or something, but the whole thing stunk when I first heard it. Officially, she's undergoing medical treatments in the mountains. Unofficially, she's in exile for something no one is willing to talk about! Weird, isn't it?"

Sighing, Shikamaru shook his head. "How are you able to make something like this seem so troublesome, Ino? There has to be more to it than that, or the ANBU wouldn't be involved. Clan affairs are handled by the clan after all. So something about that girl must be an official threat to the village." Gaping, the blonde had no idea how the genius managed to ruin the dramatic moment, but she would make him pay later!

Frowning, Sakura stood up abruptly. "Wait, so a genjutsu genius shows up and the Tower is attacked. Then, Kurenai-sensei gets called away for a special mission that could take some time. Is it just me, or does this look just a little too neat to be real? I have a very bad feeling about this." Wincing, Ino realized that she might have made things just a little more complicated than what was properly healthy.

-----

Glaring at the operative in front of his desk, Jiraiya whitened in rage. "Let me see if I understand you correctly. Members of the Kurama clan are attacking Yakumo right now and no one is available to stop them? Do I have to remind you that Yakumo is currently under the protection of the Hokage's office and should not have any unauthorized visitors? That includes the clan that washed their hands of her for years. So why was this allowed?" Despite his light tone, he felt like biting rocks and spiting sand. This situation had gone completely out of control!

Bowing low, the ANBU operative emotional state was a blank slate. However, despite his best efforts, the Toad Sage could read the uneasiness of posture. "Forgive me, Jiraiya-sama but our options are somewhat limited. All available ANBU are required to maintain the security of the Tower after the recent attack. Most of the Jonin and Chunin are out of the village preforming multiple B and C-ranked missions to try to compensate for the lack of more lucrative contracts. Besides, with two personal medical ninja and a permanent ANBU liaison, the Yakumo protection detail is already pushing the limits of acceptable personnel distribution. Coupled with the Kurama clan's skills and we just don't have the available manpower to deal with them." Cursing, the Toad Sage felt like tearing his hair out at the roots.

The whole situation was a massive disaster in the making. If one of the clans got away with snubbing the orders of the Hokage's office, despite his regency, it would ruin all of Tsunade's plans. This sort of disrespect could only be dealt with using overwhelming force, and now he finds out they are stretched too thin to deliver. The second he looked like a paper tiger was the second that he lost all the initiative he had been working on for months! Besides, despite what he might worry about, it was just not fair to punish Yakumo for something that she could not fully control. At the very least the Kurama clan should have waited for Kurenai's evaluation of the seal before performing such a course of action. Going over his head with undue haste was just insulting!

Unfortunately, the ANBU had brought up a very good point. Genjutsu specialists where in short supply lately. Besides, the Kurama clan traditionally provided the strongest masters of the art. Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were much more popular within the Jonin community, and many would find themselves ill suited to deal with such dangerous opponents. Then again, if the seal was damaged, any support might also have to compete with the strongest Genjutsu prodigy Konoha had ever produced. Kurenai was currently the only Jonin he could trust something like this to, and she was already in the field, probably under attack. Even then, the cold hard truth was that she would not be enough.

What he needed was a team that could provide proper support, was familiar enough with the mechanics of Genjutsu to recognize the techniques either side could use, and had a proper backing in dispersing them. In addition, against such an organized enemy, they would have to possess intimate knowledge of Kurenai's skills and be willing to listen to her orders. But given the state of Konoha's forces, he only had one option. Turning to the ANBU, he barked out his orders. "I want you to instruct Team Eight and anyone dependable they can scrounge up to provide support to Kurenai. Of the available candidates, they are best suited to deal with the situation. Go brief them on the particulars at once!" Watching the ANBU leave, Jiraiya sighed. Now he knew how Tsunade felt during the Uchiha retrieval mission.

-----

Bursting into the safe house, Kurenai scanned the area with kunai in hand. The silence that greeted her was not comforting. Yakumo had been deemed enough of a security risk that at least one ANBU was on hand at all times. For her entrance to garner no response either meant that the operative was incapacitated or dead. Given her injured state, neither was very reassuring to the young Jonin.

Keeping her movements as quiet as possible, the Kunoichi rushed up the stars looking for signs of life. She passed the second hallway before encountering the medical ninja team. Each had been caught in a powerful genjutsu, and would not be moving any time soon. She briefly considered releasing them to gain additional aid, but decided against it. The illusions of the Kurama clan where very stong, and she would need all the chakra and focus she could manage to defend herself. While down neither was currently in any danger and were probably safer out of the way. Her first priority was securing the safety of Yakumo and with victims this far into the safe house, it was vital that she go forward with all possible speed.

Moving towards the master bedroom, Kurenai firmed her resolve. This would be the first time she would see Yakumo for nearly two years. After the sealing of her abilities had been finished, the Kurama heir had retreated into her own mind. Attempts at communication where ignored, and while she did not remain catatonic, the girl would also refuse all attempts at forming bonds. In fact, they had only seen each other once since that event. While Yakumo had not said anything, it was clear from her gaze that she did not forgive her Sensei. Kurenai had kept her distance out of an odd combination of respect for the girl's wishes and shame of her own actions. However, it seemed that fate had decided that they were not done with one another. Once again she would meet with Yakumo, and once again she would try to destroy her potential. Trully the life of a ninja was thankless at times.

Entering, the Jonin winced at the darkened decor. The windows where covered acting in concert with the blackish walls to give the impression of walking into a shadow. The room s only signs of life and color where the numerous paintings in its center. Glancing over the content, Kurenai had to admit that Yakumo had improved her artistic technique over the years. Nevertheless, there were no notable signs of habitation. Feeling her wound flare up again, the Kunoichi knew that she had no choice. "Yakumo, Yakumo are you there? We need to get out of here!" Hearing a shuffle, Kurenai turned with her weapon drawn.

Luckily, she had nothing to worry about. Kurama Yakumo was hiding behind the door, shifting from foot to foot. The years had been kind to the girl, and she was clearly developing into a lovely young woman. However, none of that mattered as much as her crying exclamation. "Kurenai-sensei! You're here to save me!" Drawing the weeping child into a hug, the Genjutsu mistress allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction. Hearing such words from one of her precious students was a balm on her soul. Of course, if the child's evil smile had been visible, she might not have been so relaxed in the embrace.

-----

Rushing through the forest with her team, Shikamaru and Ino, Sakura went over the particulars of the mission again. When the ANBU had approached the group to relay Jiraiya's orders, Shikamaru had offered to take command to insure their success. Apparently mindful of the amount of time left to send aid versus finding another higher ranked ninja to lead, the ANBU had agreed and explained the details. Kurenai-sensei was in major trouble and needed as help as soon as possible. Nothing could have motivated the Genin to move faster.

Apparently it had been Yakumo that attacked the Hokage's tower that morning. Due to her family's abilities, the Genjutsu was strong enough to affect the physical plane. Mindful of the threat, Kurenai had been dispatched to try to deal with the girl, having the highest level of Genjutsu mastery in the village. Unfortunately, the Kurama clan had decided such actions were not enough. Against Jiraiya's orders, several clan members had been dispatched to kill their heiress. That meant that Kurenai and any other ninja in place where in great danger. Therefore, the only available team familiar enough with Kurenai's techniques to be of assistance was to be dispatched to provide support. Hence, Team Eight was summoned to deal with it.

However, the potential danger was significant. Even with Ino and Shikamaru helping their enemies were Konoha ninja familar with similar battle techniques and strategies. In addition, based upon what the ANBU revealed, each member was at least a Chunin level Genjutsu specialist. Despite the skills of the group, that still meant that each had significantly more training and experience. The only good point was that based upon their age, it would be likely that the enemy would seek to immobilize rather than kill. After all, their objective could be covered up by citing clan law, but killing heirs or prominent members of other clans could start a civil war. Not to mention how pissed Jiraiya was about the whole thing.

The other problem was the unknown element in the form of Yakumo. While the true extent of her powers and circumstances where classified, Kurenai's overall mission appeared to be limited to preventing the prodigy from causing more damage to herself or others. While it was all well and good that the Hokage regent did not want to kill a child, they had no idea whether or not Kurenai had managed to complete the mission yet. Going in, they could find anything from the Jonin fighting against the Kurama to Yakumo lashing out at anything that moved. Either situation made Sakura sick with worry.

The young Kunoichi knew that she had not been the most effective member of Team Eight since her reassignment, but that did not mean she had not been working hard. A day had not gone by where she had not worked on making herself a stronger and more confident person, largely thanks to the help that Kurenai had given her. While the members of Team Seven would always have a special place within her heart, despite whatever actions taken by its members, her new team gave her tools that made her stronger. There was no way that she could sit by the sidelines when someone from her new family was in danger! The time to show how much she had grown was here, and she would meet the challenge! Focusing her chakra, Sakura forced herself to move just a little faster. She would not be too late to save a comrade again!

-----

Evil cliffhanger jutsu of DOOM!!!

Author's Notes

This might be a little evil, but I just couldn't help myself! The next chapter is one of the longest I have ever produced, I swear!

Well, as always I was most thankful for the numerous reviews that graced my in-box. Your support and positive commentary are just the sorts of things that I need to complete my work and I can never properly express my gratitude. I'm sorry that this took so long to produce (and I still feel that it s a bit rough) but I just had to get it out there. After all the action and drama in the last chapter, I thought we could use some more!

I tried to respond to as many reviews as I could, but honestly the volume left me slightly overwhelmed. If I failed to respond to one of your questions, I apologize, but hope that the upcoming releases will help answer them. In the mean time, I ll try to cover some of my favorite.

For those of you asking about elemental manipulation, I plan on starting that about two arcs from now. There is going to be a key addition to the team first, and I assure you this person could use the same help. So let's put it off until we get there, alright?

The return to Konoha is a ways off. I am currently debating the exact vehicle of their return, and have a few ideas. However, I've had to adjust due to recent revelations in the Manga. It may or may not happen, but we've still got a ways to go.

Yes the contract thing is part of the challenge. There will be at least one more contract, but you'll have to wait and see what that is and who it goes to.

Tsunade bopping him on the head is just their way of playing with one another. Neither is very comfortable with a clinging, hugging relationship, and both cover that up with nicknames and subtle gestures. I hope to go a little deeper into this relationship by the next arc. But first the super painter of doom!

No, there is no Clan Restoration Act in my story. As far as I know, that is simply a fan based creation that lets various characters get away with using harems. The situation with the Uchiha is limited and unique, and I have no plans at this time to use it for Naruto. Honestly, Sasuke kind of forced them to take these steps, but no one besides some opportunistic civilians and lesser ninja families really like them.

Akatsuki is WAAAAYYYYYY down the line -_-;;;

Now I know that this is kind of long for one of my notes, but there is just one more thing I wish to say. Over the last few months as you, my loyal readers, have reviewed and consumed my work, I have enjoyed each and every comment. I know that I am far from perfect, and I try to take every suggestion as another way to get better. The fact that so many people have enjoyed the ride as much as I have makes me happier than anything I can ever express in words.

That being said, a recent, unnamed reviewer decided to completely tear down the last chapter. It was done in a disjointed way involving a lot of swears, and I had trouble even getting through it. Many of my other reviewers made a point to contact me to counteract the main points of the review and offer moral support. For this I thank you. But honestly? If a reviewer does not enjoy my story and gives me a reason, I try to see their point of view and grow. But, if a critic just spouts off hatred for the whole review, then I sigh and go on.

Too many wonderful readers have expressed their enjoyment to ever allow something like that to stop me from writing. If you wish to read simply to express how much you hate my style and subject matter, then go right ahead. It s your time, and I will read your responses just like anyone else s. However, if you want a response, you ll just have to log in like anyone else. That is all I will bore you with on the subject.

Now for the next chapter, let s see what the home team can do once they cut loose!

PS - Oh, and for those of you who might be interested, I have published another story! It started as a one shot, but if this sort of response keeps up I might just have to expand it into a multipart piece! :)


	26. BIK: The Lonely Child

No I don't own Naruto. Although I kind of wish I did after Sakura's "confession."

Back in Konoha!

Chapter Twenty Three Part Two: The Lonely Child

Rushing along the road, Sakura kept her eyes peeled for enemies. She knew that realistically either Shino or Kiba where more likely to notice something wrong first. But even with chakra sensitive bugs or a specially trained ninja dog, you could easily miss the obvious. Ever since taking over Hinata's position in Team Eight, Sakura had supported their sweeps by checking the details and her developing chakra sensing technique. After all, what was point of knowing that there was a strong chakra presence nearby if you could not determine where is was or how strong it could be? Right now, those newly learned senses where screaming that something was wrong.

Pausing at the sensation of a light flux of power the young Kunoichi signaled her compatriots to stop. Before they could question the move, the need became rapidly obvious. Blocking the center of the road was a large and unusual tree. As the ninja watched, the single tree became a solid wall of vegetation, blocking the path as effectively as an earth technique. Of course, since the only one to manipulate plant growth within popular ninja history was the First Hokage, what was happening was clearly impossible. As such, it could not really be there! Forming a seal, Sakura launched a carefully controlled wave of chakra with a cry of "Dispel!"

Unfortunately instead of disappearing, the illusion wavered before becoming more complex. One of the engorged vines suddenly began budding before forming enlarged seed pods. To her disgust, a pod swelled before disgorging a sallow faced ninja. "Sorry for the trouble, but you brats might want to run along. There is a clan issue being resolved up ahead and we really don't need any interlopers right now." To emphasize the implied threat, the unfamiliar ninja wielded a kunai in a deceptively casual manner.

Another pod swelled, releasing a slightly taller, if still pale ninja. "I know that you clan kids know better than this. When a clan matter is in effect, the others should look away. The Kurama don't go poking their noses in your business, so don't go looking for trouble. We don't want to hurt such promising ninja, especially from our own village." Despite his assurances, he drew a sword that seemed to glitter in the sunlight. Confident, the two Chunin maintained their readiness without a problem. This was clearly going to be harder than they had thought.

Hearing a slight noise, Sakura saw Shikamaru whisper something. While the question was too low for her to understand, the answer was a toned down Kiba volume. This of course meant that they had heard him in Suna. "Yeah, these guys are not the first people down the road today. I'm picking up Kurenai-sensei and another unknown that smells a little like these two. That means that Sensei is probably facing the strongest member of the clan right about now. We've got to get out of here!" Frowning, the young Chunin made a quick thinking pose before tapping Sakura's back. With her body hiding the movements, his sign language could not be read by the enemies.

The orders were crude, but understandable. She and Kiba would rush through the illusion while Shikamaru, Ino and Shino provided a distraction. Once the two rouge Chunin where taken care of, they would rush forward to provide backup. Forming an acceptance sign back at him, Sakura tensed. In fact, she got so wound up the flash bomb nearly caused her to run in the wrong direction. If not for Kiba grabbing her arm, things might have gone bad. Closing their eyes to prevent the illusion from being a problem, Sakura and Kiba found themselves past the two Kurama before they had a chance to clear their vision. Feeling her friend's chakra swelling, she firmed her resolve. She would save Kurenai-sensei and make sure everyone made it out ok! This was not the time to be eye candy!

-----

Satisfied with Yakumo's immediate safety, Kurenai began to check the room before leaving. Obviously without the ANBU or medics, this place was going to be very dangerous fairly soon. Relocating the girl to a new, safe base of operations was a top priority. Noticing something behind the bed, the Jonin froze. Moving as slowly as possible, she placed the younger girl behind her before lunging forward to attack. What was there brought her up short in shock. There, bound, gagged and knocked out, was the missing ANBU!

Replacing her weapons, she rushed over to free her comrade. However upon removing the mask and blindfold, she was shocked by the vacant expression on his face. Frowning, she attempted to channel chakra in his system, but to no avail. Someone had put the ANBU into a very powerful Genjutsu, and the only ones with that sort of power where the Kurama. But how the hell did a Kurama get by her, yet still leave Yakumo alive? Turning towards her old student, Kurenai was shocked by the girl's sudden proximity.

Smiling almost gently, the younger girl patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I took care of him. That man was such a naughty person, trying to stop me. Once he received word of enemy attack, the silly little ANBU tried to destroy my power." Suddenly, the contact was far from comforting for the Jonin, who found herself unable to move. Leaning down, the girl's smile became predatory. "It s not like I would actually allow someone so weak to bind my strength. We could not have that, could we Sensei?" The unstable look in her eye left the Jonin feeling cold. She had been too late.

Disarming her, Yakumo took one of the captured kunai. "When I heard someone was coming, I knew it would have to be you. After all Kurenai-sensei, you taught me everything that I know, didn't you? Oh, let's not forget my favorite lesson." Yakumo lashed out with her weapon, letting a thin trail of blood trace down the Jonin's arm. Yet despite the pain, Kurenai could not move. "Pain is the enemy of Genjutsu users. Anyone with a brain can harness it to break the technique, so you're better off incorporating it into the illusion. Isn't that right, Kurenai-sensei? I have to admit that you always were such a wonderful teacher. So wonderful, in fact, that the Hokage trusted you the most to end me."

Snarling, Yakumo dropped the kunai and grabbed her hair. "I am no fool, Sensei! You want to seal my powers again! You want to make me weak again! You always wanted me to be weak, because you feared me! You feared me one day surpassing you as the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha! Well, I'm so sorry Sensei, but you're not doing anything of the sort!" Kurenai felt her panic bubble and foam. Despite the pain, and all her attempts to flex her chakra, the paralysis would not budge. She was absolutely helpless, and Yakumo was not feeing charitable.

Forcing the older woman to meet her gaze, the Kurama heiress began to shift and change. "Now that I'm free, things are going to be much different. First, I'm going to show you what it's like to be helpless and powerless until I get bored. Then, I'll move on and see what the clan thinks about the same state of being. After all, they think that I'm so useless that I cannot even be their pawn anymore." The girl must have seen her expression, because she let out a dark chuckle. "Yes, I heard about the Uchiha Breeding program. The clan made sure to inform me that they would never think of entering me into something like that. After all, I'm no longer worthy to be considered a part of their family. Why would they want me to represent them in such an obvious way?" Skin darkening, the girl looked downright demonic. "**Finally, I think that I'll go and wipe out that stupid village. Let's see whose useless then?**" All Kurenai could do was gaze in horror at what was about to be released.

-----

Sniffing the air, Kiba frowned. He, Sakura and Akamaru had managed to bypass the Kurama about fifteen minutes ago and Kurenai-sensei's trail was getting stronger. But, at the same time he was getting nervous. Akamaru told him that whoever was left was a lot stronger than the two idiots they had left for the others to deal with. With the safe house coming up and trail intensifying, things would have to come to a head soon. But when the unknown scent trail disappeared, he knew they had bitten off more than they could chew. That was a Jonin level skill! Grabbing his teammate's arm, the Inuzuka barely managed to avoid a sudden wave of kunai.

Looking around he turned to the girl at his side. "Alright, Sakura I can smell him but I can't see a thing. Think you can do something about that?" Pouting, the pink haired Kunoichi formed her dispersal technique. Say what you will about her, the girl knew her Genjutsu. The pouting was kind of cute too. Shaking his head at the distraction, Kiba took stock of the situation and bit back a curse. This was all levels of not good.

There were two medical ninja bound to the tree. Judging from their vacant gazes, someone had put a powerful Genjutsu on them for security. Kurenai-sensei loved that tactic when dealing with a captured bandit camp. After all, if the bandits where stuck in an illusion they would not have a chance to break free. Besides, it took some level of mental discipline to break one, so their palls could not just sneak up and free them on the sly. The other figure was somewhat imposing. It was an elderly man with lined and hardened features, dressed in formal robes of some sort. He just screamed leader, and was potentially the biggest threat.

Hissing, Sakura swore under her breath. Sparing a quick look behind him, the Inuzuka frowned. Biting her lip the Kunoichi whispered, "Kiba, those are the two medics from earlier. If this guy already managed to take them out, Kurenai-sensei and Yakumo must be in real danger!" Thinking of his mentor in trouble, Kiba growled. This man had threatened his pack, and had earned his anger.  
Making hand signs the unknown figure seemed to swell, forming a giant vine that blocked their view of the other ninja. "I am sorry that it came to this, but there is no other option now. Yakumo is now being handled under the authority of the Kurama clan, and as such, no one else will be allowed to interfere. Run along little Genin and save your lives. I have no desire to fight deluded members of my own village, but sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Follow my warning and our conflict ends here. Ignore it, and I cannot be held accountable for my actions." By now a wall of vegetation separated them and the safe house. Things really were going to get difficult.

Staying behind his cover, Kiba decided to attempt a little diplomacy. As much of a jerk as this guy was, he had no desire to fight another Konoha ninja either. "Say what you want, but we have our orders! Jiraiya-sama demands that Yakumo be properly evaluated by Kurenai-sensei before any overt action is taken! You are violating the protection of the Hokage's office with this, and he's going to be pissed when he gets his hands on you!" Ok, so maybe he should have let Sakura do the talking. But this was taking too long and that bastard was just standing there! It was too damned annoying!

Sniffing, the elder ninja looked down his nose at the two in front of him. "Please, Jiraiya is simply a regent. How can I trust him with something as important as this? Without the Hokage here to stop me, I see no reason to listen to the demands of a silly old lecher. Besides, this is clan business and if Kurenai gets caught in the middle, then it's simply her poor judgment. Yakumo must die for the good of Konoha! Now leave little boy, before you get hurt." That attitude more than anything made his vision turn red.

Biting his lip to focus, Kiba thought over his options. As much as Kurenai-sensei needed help, this guy was too much for someone like Sakura to delay. Besides, if this Yakumo chick had really gone off the deep end he would be at a major disadvantage. He knew more about dealing with Genjutsu then most Genin, but someone that good was far beyond his skills. That meant it was time to take a leap of faith. "Sakura, me and Akamaru are going to deal with this guy. I want you to go and help out Kurenai-sensei, alright? You're the one who really get's this stuff, and can provide better support. My fighting style doesn't work as well stuck in a house anyways. Besides, right now I really want to knock this guy's block off." Sakura might have been annoying, but she was becoming pack now. If you could not trust your pack, who could you trust?

Seeing her nod, he leapt into action. "Come on you old bastard!" Rushing the opponent, Kiba threw a brace of shuriken at the enemy. As expected, he simply deflected them with a kunai, but hitting him was not the goal. Distracting him to that Akamaru could get him with a dynamic marking right between the eyes was. Listening to the bastard rant, he noticed Sakura's scent heading into the house. Knowing that he had to provide a proper distraction, he pulled out some more weapons. He would show this traitorous bastard why you did not mock an Inuzuka!

-----

Entering the safe house, Sakura suppressed a shiver. One of the first lessons that Kurenai-sensei had taught her was how to sense Genjutsu. In the Academy they only taught you the theory of the technique, but with enough practice and chakra sensitivity, a ninja could pick up the subtle ebb and flow of an active illusion. She had the foundation from her time in Team Seven, but Team Eight had enhanced those abilities to a razor's edge. Right now, those senses where screaming. It felt like the entire building was one big illusion!

Trying to stay focused despite the screaming sense of danger at every turn, Sakura grabbed a kunai before trying the first door. She needed to find Sensei, and the only ones who should be here where Yakumo's keepers. Seeing as Kiba had confirmed no additional scents entering the property, she thought it was relatively safe to search from room to room. Besides, with all the chakra radiating from the door, something big had to be happening behind it. Of course, she was not expecting to encounter a vision of Kurenai speaking with the Third Hokage. What sort of illusion was this? Keeping quiet as to not arouse suspicion, the young Kunoichi listened in on the conversation with growing horror. What had this girl done to make her a potential threat to the village?

Closing the door with a grimace, Sakura began to search in earnest. After three empty rooms, she paused in front of another door. This one also screamed of power, so maybe she would find more clues about the situation? Cracking the door slightly, she saw a bright and sunny day. Walking along was the girl from earlier, smiling as she walked along the roof of the Academy. However, the smile quickly disappeared when she came across another conversation between the Sandaime and Kurenai-sensei. Both Sakura and the illusionary Yakumo listened in shocked silence as Kurenai expressed concern that the Kurama heiress would soon outperform her with raw potential. The declaration that such growth might make her a real threat to Konoha was shocking.

Closing the door, the pink haired Kunoichi frowned in thought. It was clear that whoever made these illusions was a master, but this level of detail was really frightening. She could see Kurenai-sensei being able to do something like this against a single opponent, but an area-wide Genjutsu should take more time than she had. But who else could have known all these details? On that note, why would the Jonin use them for the illusion in the first place? It had to violate village security. More importantly, just how bad could this girl be that the kindly old Sandaime was thinking about having her killed as a potential threat?

Scanning her surroundings, the Kunoichi was drawn out of such deep thoughts by the sounds of crying. Gripping her weapon firmly, she headed towards the noise. Finding the room where the noises where coming from, Sakura took a deep breath before throwing the door wide open. There, curled into a weeping ball, was Kurama Yakumo. Looking at the weeping child in front of her, Sakura felt something in her chest ache. This was the great threat to Konoha? Something seriously wrong was going on here!

-----

Looking over the enemy ninja, Shino suppressed his desire to glare. If there was one thing that had recently begun to bother him, it was traitors. Despite what the Kurama's were saying, clan authority could not simply be used as a shield for disregarding direct orders. This sort of behavior was most upsetting, and there was nothing more that he would enjoy than showing them the error of their ways. Unfortunately despite Kurenai-sensei s exceptional instruction concerning Genjutsu, the techniques that these two seemed capable of were at whole other level. While he could sense his enemies, having bugged them at the first opportunity, coordinating effectively with Ino and Shikamaru was more problematic. Each team had significantly different methods, and adapting them on the fly against ninja of greater experience and teamwork was not going well at all.

Dodging a lunging vine, Shino relaxed slightly. Judging from the slightly metallic smell, he had just avoided a disguised projectile weapon. Launching himself into the foliage, he was soon joined by both Ino and Shikamaru. Turning to the squad leader, he made his concerns known. "I have received extensive training concerning Genjutsu, but our opposition is significantly more skilled than I am. Shikamaru, what are your orders?" Forming the same odd hand sign he recognized from the Chunin Exam, Shikamaru remained silent. Shino hoped that he hurried. Judging from the rapidly approaching scents from his bugs, they would soon lose their meeting spot.

Opening his eyes, the Chunin barked his commands. "Shino, since you are currently having the least trouble tracking them, I want you to act as the decoy for the next ten minutes. After that amount of time passes, you are to lead both in my direction. Ino and I will construct a proper welcome for the two. Now head out and distract them." Nodding his acceptance, Shino ignored them as they retreated into the forest. Shikamaru was a skilled strategist, and he had faith that they would be ready for him in the allotted time. Now was his chance to demonstrate his own abilities.

Sensing a vine appear from above, Shino wasted no time leaping to the side. Both ninja began to focus upon his movements with absolute confidence. Clearly they believed that the others could be dealt with later, either by catching up or whoever had gone ahead to take out Yakumo. Replacing himself with a swarm he had planted earlier, Shino watched with subdued amusement as the two illusionary projectiles impaled his Bug Clone. That amusement turned to irritation when the branches disappeared with no bodies in attendance. Sensing the pheromones from his previous tracking bugs suddenly become stationary, he relocated as quickly as he could. Observing his previous hiding spot peppered by kunai, Shino bit back a curse. Clearly, the Kurama had found the tracking bugs. This had just become quite a bit more difficult.

Not wasting any time, the Aburame spread his entire colony to cover all the nearby places where the enemy ninja could be hiding. He knew that with his chances had just become that much worse, but held on for two reasons. Firstly, they were clearly overconfident and not seriously attempting to kill him. Posturing aside, taking out the heir of another clan who was following orders would look very bad when this incident was properly examined. Secondly, the requisite time had not passed yet, and he would rather die than fail his comrades. Feeling a disturbance from both above and below, Shino made a quick decision. The smart thing would be to launch to the side, avoiding both attackers. However, given the skills of the enemy, that would not be the logical thing.

Launching himself upwards, he was rewarded by the sound of clashing weaponry below him. Obviously, the ninja had cast a Genjutsu on his insects to disorient their sensory information. Since this was an enemy from within his village, it was only common sense to assume that they would know about his preferred tactics and plan accordingly. However, they had neglected to take into account that he might understand the same method and use it against them. The important thing was that their attention was distracted and ten minutes had passed. It was time to launch Shikamaru's strategy.

Tracking the female insects placed upon his comrades, Shino began to run through the trees. In response, both Kurama dropped their respective Genjutsus and began to catch up with him. Clearly they thought that their normal tactics had been ineffective against the mental abilities of his partners. Regardless, both where apparently experienced Chunin, and rapidly closed the gap. Unconcerned, he judged the relative positions of both Shikamaru and Ino, before acting accordingly. Passing the Chunin, he landed on the branch between both allies before continuing. Clearly irritated, both Kurama began to increase their speed only to be brought up short.

Looking upwards, Shino smirked at the sight of Shikamaru hidden within the shadows of the tree. Clearly his Shadow Bind technique had been a success. The next action was a bit of a surprise, though. Watching a hidden tag launch ropes and chains around both Chunin, Shino raised an eyebrow. However, before he could send his bugs to finish them off, Ino launched herself from underneath the branch. Moving with more skill than he had previously given her credit for, the Kunoichi knocked both Chunin with an example of vicious Taijutsu.

Leaping downwards, Shikamaru took charge. "Ok you two grab them and head back towards the road. We need information on what we're facing and have to get moving. The sooner we get the needed data, the sooner we can help the others out. Let's move." Grabbing the heavier Chunin, Shino nodded in appreciation of the excellent planning. Once this was all over, he was going to ask for more joint operations with Team Ten. They had improved greatly and made for fine allies.

-----

Leading the shivering girl into the next room, Sakura sighed in relief. Ever since discovering the quivering form of Kurama Yakumo, the Genjutsu had become significantly more dangerous. Instead of depressing or informative scenes from the young heiress's past, the different rooms now contained a large number of deadly environments. So far, Sakura had barely managed to avoid the room of lava, an empty vacuum, and falling spike traps of stone. It was times like this that she really missed Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu. He would have been able to figure out the trapped rooms within a minute!

Taking a small breath after the latest danger, Sakura decided that enough was enough. There was only one source of information here, and that was Yakumo. Turning to the nervous girl, she began her interrogation. "Ok, Yakumo right? You're supposed to be some sort of prodigy. What do you know about the Genjutsu surrounding this building? Why are loyal Konoha ninja knocked out here? What is making these illusions so realistic?" Looking at the frightened expression on her companion's face, Sakura bit back a wince. For someone who was supposedly so dangerous, this girl sure did scare easily.

Wilting under her gaze, the older girl began to shuffle her feet. "I don't know! I mean, this is kind of my dream world. Anything that I want to have happen, I can make happen here. But it's all been in my head for years!" Looking around, Yakumo sniffed loudly. "But something is wrong. I should be able to control this place, but I can't! Nothing is working like it's supposed to! What could be going on?" Patting the girls back, Sakura felt about three inches tall.

Eyes widening, she turned to Yakumo in shock. "Wait a minute, if you can normally control this place maybe you can find out who's here! If you could locate Kurenai-sensei, she could help you get this under control!" The Kunoichi was so excited about the possibilities; she did not notice Yakumo stop shaking. The sudden angry glare on the other hand was impossible to miss.

Quivering in apparent rage, the young heiress began to rant. "I know just what sort of person Kurenai is! She said she would teach me, but no matter how hard I tried nothing was good enough for her. Then I found out that she wanted the Sandaime to seal my powers, or kill me! If she hadn't told him that, then maybe my parents would still be alive!" Her disbelief must have been too obvious because Yakumo snorted. "Yes, that's right. My parents were killed in a fire after Kurenai's warning. But no ninja could get close enough to save them! They were silenced so they couldn't stop Kurenai from sealing me! The only one who could have ordered something like that was the Third Hokage!"

Sakura did not know what to think about that pronouncement. The scenes she had observed seemed to support some of Yakumo's theory, but everything did not add up. The Sandaime would not have simply wiped out the heads of a clan for anything less than treason. It was hard picturing the wise old leader killing a little girl on the advice of a single Jonin. Besides, Kurenai-sensei always pushed them to excel, and never failed to support her students fully. Clearly, something was missing here. But the middle of a powerful, out of control Genjutsu was no place to debate the situation.

Grabbing the other girls hand, Sakura began focusing on the strongest concentration of Chakra ahead of them. If Kurenai-sensei was trying to shut down or escape the illusions effect that would be the most likely place she would be. Feeling a sudden buildup of energy, Sakura moved forward towards the end of the hall. However, upon opening the entrance, she was shocked by the picture in front of her. Kurenai-sensei was being choked by something that looked like a deformed version of Yakumo. Turning to her companion, she found the same shocked expression mirrored before her.

-----

Breathing heavily, Kiba was past being diplomatic. The fight, if it could be called that, had been going on for a while now. Yet he was the one gasping for air while the geezer was barely winded. Half of his techniques seemed to be centered on tiring him out while sitting back and enjoying the show. Apparently, the older ninja was skilled enough to fool his senses despite every attempt to break the Genjutsu. Every time that he tried to go on the offensive, the Genin found himself attacking trees, bushes, and clumps of poison ivy. Despite his endurance, destructive technique, and Akamaru's help, Kiba was getting his butt kicked and he knew it. The whole process was humiliating. At that moment, the Inuzuka swore an oath. He was going to get his hands on this pretentious ass and rip his face to shreds.

The only reason that he had lasted as long as he had was that initial lucky strike. Even with his skills suppressing the effect, the Kurama was still reeking slightly of Akamaru's Dynamic Marking. Kiba could not quite track it from the breeze, but whenever the Kurama tired to attack his suppression Genjutsu would slip. It barely gave him a seconds warning, but with his greater speed and agility, the Inuzuka was able to avoid final injury. In fact, given the difference in their abilities, Kiba was secretly happy he had survived this long. His pride absolutely refused to consider the old man was toying with him. That would simply be too much.

In the end, Kiba did have one thing going for him. No matter what the reason, killing another member of your village without legitimate cause would get the offender in hot water. But if the acting head of the Kurama clan killed the child of the head of the Inuzuka, it could cause a clan war. With the Hokage out of the village, the Dog Users would be free to wipe out the offenders at will before anything could be done. Also, as Ino had pointed out, there weren't that many Kurama left to deal with such an attack. Therefore, the old bastard had more to lose than he did, and had to be careful. Kiba on the other hand, did not.

Apparently the standoff was beginning to frustrate the Kurama leader though, because he dropped his defenses just out of reach. "Why do you persist in attacking me boy? To my knowledge, you've never even met Yakumo! There is no reason for you to fight so hard for someone you don't know! Stop this foolishness before I am forced to seriously injure you!" The almost casual way the man spoke of murdering his kind inflamed Kiba's anger beyond all previous levels. This man was the purest form of trash!

Signaling to Akamaru to back off for a moment, Kiba took the opportunity to rearm. "I might not know this Yakumo chick, but I know Kurenai-sensei! She has taught me more about being a ninja than anyone else in my life! If this girl is important to her, then I'll fight! I fight for my family, I fight for my village and I fight for my pack!" Glaring at the old and withered human being, Kiba bit out his next few words with particular venom. "But if there is one thing that I have sworn to fight against, it's traitors! There is nothing worse than betraying your fellow ninja! You and your clan have moved against the leader of the village. For that alone I would be happy to slit your god damned throat!" Seeing the man freeze at his angry declaration, Kiba lunged to attack.

Of course, when the figure remained insubstantial, the young Inuzuka knew he had been duped. Feeling a harsh impact on the back of his skull, Kiba was helpless as he fell to the forest floor. Looking down on him, the real Kurama leader frowned. "You can say what you will boy, but you lack both knowledge and experience. The Kurama have always been loyal to the village, and will remain so. In fact, it is our loyalty that forces me to act in this fashion. Do you think I wish to kill my niece? The poor girl really is not to blame for any of this. But if left unchecked, Yakumo could destroy Konoha, and I refuse to allow that to happen." Drawing a senbon needle, the elder took aim. "Rest for now, and when you awaken it should all be over." Frustrated in his helpless state Kiba closed his eyes, waiting for the attack that would finish it.

However, that final moment never came. Looking up, Kiba was stunned to see the Kurama elder stuck in his pose, struggling to move. Apparently it was a difficult proposition, because the bastard's face was turning red from the strain. Looking around and sniffing the air, the Inuzuka felt a smirk coming on. Hidden behind the base of the tree was Shikamaru, his hands forming a familiar sign. "Sorry about the delay Kiba. Interrogating those other losers was more troublesome than we expected." Watching the laziest ninja from his graduating class make such a cool entrance, he snorted in amusement. He had better work harder if that guy was getting so smooth.

-----

Shaking off the feeling of wrongness, Sakura sprung into action. Dropping Yakumo's hand, the young Kunoichi moved forward to attack, a kunai in hand. Kurenai-sensei was in real danger, so she had to do something. Smirking, the Yakumo doppelganger directed its other hand in her direction. Before she knew it, Sakura was thrown across the room by a massive blast of wind. Losing her grip on the weapon, she was pinned to the wall by the pressure before falling to the floor. It took all of her will power not to pass out from the momentary flash of pain. Looking up, all she could see was the suffocating form of Kurenai-sensei looking at her with pleading eyes to run and get away. Unfortunately, that was the one thing that the Genin was not willing to do.

Gathering her strength, Sakura got back on her feet. Looking between the evil creature in front of her and the whimpering girl to her side, she narrowed her eyes in confusion. Since a direct attack seemed to be useless right now, and any Genjutsu she tried against this crowd would do little but irritate that thing, her best bet was to gather information. "Alright, what's going on here? Why are there two Yakumos? Why are you trying to kill Kurenai-sensei? What is all of this mess?" Of course, the question she wanted to ask involved her own abilities to survive the conflict, but Sakura was not stupid enough to try that.

Chuckling darkly, the demonic creature loosened its grip on Kurenai's throat. "**Ah, how the mighty have fallen. This is your latest student? You throw me, the strongest Genjutsu prodigy in generations, away for this little girl? I think you re slipping Sensei.**" Facing her gaze, the monster smiled wickedly. "**As to whom I am why it's quite simple. I am the real Kurama Yakumo.**"

"No, that's a lie!" Turning, Sakura could see that the girl she had discovered earlier was no longer shocked. Now her expression wavered from fear to anger. "I'm Kurama Yakumo! I don't know what you are, but you can't be me! My life and my identity are all I have left, and I will never allow some monster to take them from me!" The determined gaze probably would have been more effective if she had not been visibly shaking at the time.

Snorting, the creature dropped Kurenai-sensei in a huff. "**Oh, you might have been Kurama Yakumo at one time, but that's ancient history. You see, whenever things were difficult, I was always there to pick you up. Every time you doubted yourself or felt others question your skills, I was there to push you forward. When the techniques simply refused to work, I saw the problems. When the life of a ninja was denied to you, I was there to make your dreams come true.**" Reaching out, the double slowly transformed into an even more monstrous form than before. "**I was that voice in the back of your mind that always fought for such grand dreams, and took them into myself when you gave up. At that moment, when I showed the world the true power of Kurama Yakumo, I earned the right to everything that meant. After all, you lacked the will and power to control your gift. Someone had to step in to make sure it wasn't wasted.**"

Eyes wide in shock, Yakumo gulped. "What are you talking about? When did you ever use my power?" Licking its developing fangs, the evil mirror snapped its claws. Suddenly, the walls became transparent before presenting an image. As the group watched in shock, an argument between the younger Yakumo and her parents was shown with the clarity of a movie screen. As the confrontation continued, the Kurama heiress began to shake her head in denial, eyes rooted to the screen. Before the audiences locked gaze, the fire that wiped out the elder Kurama sprung from nothing. Both parents were consumed by flame, while the younger Yakumo watched in horror. Sakura felt tears fall as the elder Yakumo, memories fully adjusted, began to scream in denial.

Sakura could only watch as the human Yakumo cowered in the shadow of this creature. Kurenai was still too weak to help and she felt powerless here. The strength of this Genjutsu was far greater than she could ever hope to untangle. But of course, like any good villain, the thing was not done playing with its prey. "**Oh yes, Yakumo-chan, I used your powers to start that fire. It's what you really wanted deep inside. People you loved and trusted had turned their backs on you and your ambition. Such an action needed a proper response don't you think?**"

Sneering at the Genjutsu Mistress, the fake Yakumo lashed out with a misshapen foot, kicking the Jonin in the ribs. "**The Third Hokage and this bitch where satisfied that you hate them, as long as I was under control and your powers removed. But there was no way I would allow those two cretins to deny me! While you've been painting and taking it easy, I've submerged into your power, developing and enhancing it with every moment I had! Now that the seal is broken, well, there's no real reason to keep you around anymore!**"

Grinning wickedly, the thing suddenly pierced Sakura with its gaze. "**However, before we do that, I think I'll have some more fun! First, I'll break this little replacement Kunoichi in front of Sensei. Then, I'll break Kurenai just for laughs. Then, after I'm done with that, I'll lock you so deep within our mind that the entire Yamanaka Clan would never find you!**" Throwing her arm forward, the evil Yakumo's arm extended to capture the suddenly mobile Sakura. Dodging desperately, the girl thought she might have a chance of all of two seconds before capture. Helpless, she was dragged until she was coated in the creature's putrid breath.

Cracking an impossible grin, the dark creature began to squeeze. "**I don't think that we've been properly introduced girl! Since you're a little tied up right now, I might as well find out more about you.**" Once again the walls began to change. "**The fun thing about this technique is that we are literally in my mind. Anything here is a reflection of my thoughts, wishes and will. Therefore, the people who enter open themselves, if only a little bit. I could get glimpses of the thoughts of a Jonin. So let us find out how much is on your mind!**" Thus the invasion began of her brain began.

Having experienced both, Sakura could honestly say the monsters technique was significantly different from a Yamanaka. Ino's technique had put a blanket over her conscious mind, cutting her off from her body and sense of self. The Kurama Genjutsu, on the other hand acted as a form of suggestion. An odd phrase here, an unusual word there, repeat the process at the speed of thought, and Sakura's mind would review information. Almost against her will, the girl was forced to watch her memories project upon the walls just as Yakumo's did. Her crush on Sasuke, time on Team Seven, and abandonment where displayed brightly for the world. The sensation was not unpleasant, but the nature of the attack made her want to scrub herself raw.

Sniffing the creature spat on the floor. "**This is trully pathetic! What is this? You're not my replacement; you're a damn charity case! Too weak for your Sensei to train, too ugly to attract your love, and too close minded to accept the friendship of the last. What do you think you are doing as a ninja? I was discarded for less than this!**" Gripping Sakura's face, Yakumo's darker half snarled, "**Why don't you just lay down and die, you pathetic weakling!**" At that moment, on the brink of death, secrets broadcast to the world, exposed in the worst manner possible, Haruno Sakura would have gladly given up. In fact, if the creature had simply ended the memory probe, she just might have. But because of that oversight, the Kunoichi was reminded of one thing that should keep her going.

Feeling herself black out, Sakura watched a final memory play. In it, Ino had nearly beaten her in the Chunin Exam elimination rounds by suppressing her consciousness. Her memory of the event had always been somewhat hazy, but there was one thing that came to mind right then. Naruto screaming her name reminding her not to give up. Smiling, Sakura could not help but find it ironic. She was about to be killed by the mental figment of a deranged clan heiress, and the only one she could think of crazy enough to get out of something like this was Naruto.

Forcing her hands up, Sakura decided that if she was going down, then she would fight to the end. None of her main technique library would work, but there was one other trick to try. Forming a weak hand seal, despite the lack of oxygen, the Kunoichi gathered her chakra to utilize one of the trickiest fighting techniques in a Genjutsu user's arsenal. She attempted to reflect the Genjutsu back at Yakumo. Sakura had not managed to perfect this technique yet, and in fact only knew it to develop in later training. But if there was ever a time for this to work, it was now!

At first nothing happened. Sakura only knew she was alive from the pain that drawing breath caused. But then the blank walls began to bulge. Startled, the demonic Yakumo released her onto the ground. As Sakura, Yakumo and Kurenai watched in amazement, a large black arm reached out to grab the monster. Despite its best efforts, the creature could simply not get free. The more it struggled, the more the capturing limbs gained definition. Before she realized it, the Kunoichi was looking at a giant version of herself made out of shadow and with a tattoo on her head. Looking at the phrase _'Inner Sakura'_ displayed on her forehead, Sakura began to twitch. Perhaps Gaara had been a bad influence on her subconscious or something?

Grinning, the apparition looked at the evil Yakumo in her hands. "**So this is what it's like to have a meeting of the minds. It's not quite as fun as I thought it might be.**" As the creature began to struggle, Inner Sakura began to squeeze. "**None of that now! You unleashed the technique, now you get to deal with the consequences.**" Feeling dizzy at the surreal atmosphere generated by the battle of the psychoses, Sakura crawled over to check on Kurenai-sensei and Yakumo. Maybe they could reassure her that she wasn't going crazy. Of course, judging from their nervous looks, she might try taking up drinking later to forget this image.

Bringing the frantic monster to eye level, the faux Sakura's grin turned positively evil. "**You know, that really should not have worked. I'm nowhere near strong enough to reflect a Kurama Genjutsu like this. But you had to drag things out, and that last little moment of rebellion gave me enough power to come out and play.**" Forcing the monster to watch, the giant grabbed a misshapen arm and began to twist. "**So why don't we go ahead and play!**"

What followed was sick, wrong, and in many ways satisfying as hell. Inner Sakura took her time, layering injury after injury upon the apparition. With every bit of damage sustained by the creature, the room became more normal. Sakura tried not to pay too much attention, but both Kurenai and Yakumo could not take their eyes off the spectacle. After a mere five minutes, the evil Yakumo was nothing more than a lump of twitching flesh.

Trying to match the gaze of its tormentor the monster managed to speak, if only barely. "**How are you doing this? This is my world! You should have no power here, and especially over me! Nothing can stop me here.**" With the last of its strength the creature lashed out, only to be swatted down like a fly. With that final defeat, the Genjutsu over the safe house began to slowly fade.

Unmindful of her disintegration, Inner Sakura began to glare at the creature in front of her. "**You might be able to draw bits and pieces from the memories of your victims, but that doesn't stop someone from forcing their own energy into the Genjutsu. I've been with Sakura for years, giving her someone to like even when the other kids would taunt and tease her. I became her closest confidant and guardian. Now doesn't that sound familiar?**" Noting the shock on the creature's face, the apparition faded. "**But while you fed on Yakumo's fear, hatred and self loathing, I worked to make Sakura strong enough to reach her dreams. You could have supported the poor girl, guided her to greatness. But instead you became arrogant and demanding, wanting that life for yourself. The thing is, we're both a part of both girls. The major difference was that I made sure that Sakura found people to help her and drive her onwards.**"

Looking over at the audience, the manifestation of Sakura's true feelings gave a gentle smile. "**You can't become strong alone, and you can't throw away potential friends without reason. Things might suck now, but hey they can get better. I might have had the top of the scores back in school, but it took a village idiot to show me the truth. Now that I know it, I can remind Sakura at any time.**" Looking down, Inner Sakura formed a fist. "**But there is no reason for someone like Yakumo to put up with a creep like you. So go die already! CHA!**" With that last act of power, evil Yakumo's head was knocked clear off.

Looking around the suddenly normal room, Sakura felt faint. Between her injuries, the emotional strain of the moment, and whatever her inner personality had done was very draining. Thinking about all the questions that battle was going to bring later, she sighed. Hopefully, they would not throw her in the loony bin or something. Hearing signs of distress, she turned only to smile. Yakumo was crying into Kurenai-sensei's shoulder, apologizing for her hatred. Maybe things would work out in the end. At least, that's what Naruto would have said.

-----

Exiting the Safe House with her charges, Kurenai did not know what to think. Going into this mission, she had thought that Yakumo might rage against her and the Sandaime a bit. Due to the nature of her duty, the Genjutsu mistress had assumed that her first student would never forgive her of the perceived betrayal. Yet the girl was latched onto her arm like a lifeline, and showed no signs of letting go. Somehow, that battle with Sakura's construct had broken the hold of the evil personality buried in the heiress's mind. Now all Yakumo seemed to be was a scared child looking for someone to love and support her. Honestly, after giving her a mental evaluation, Kurenai might be willing to help out with that.

But the biggest surprise of the day was Sakura. Gone was the little simpering fan girl, and in her place was a fairly capable Kunoichi. She had never thought that the girl would master the basics of reflecting Genjutsu so quickly, and had only instructed her to lay the ground work for later training. However, if her opponent had been anyone besides Yakumo, Sakura might have successfully completed the technique. She was a little confused about this extra personality the girl seemed to be carrying around, but there had been enough drama for one day.

Looking up, the Jonin felt a smile forcing its way through her professional mask. There on the road were her students along with about half of Team Ten. While they looked a little worn out, it was nothing compared to the three Kurama Clansmen hogtied by the side of the road. Even that blowhard Unkai was bound like a wet-behind-the-ears Genin. If not for the sudden tenseness in Yakumo's grip, Kurenai would have been tempted to laugh out loud.

Shielding the girl with her body, Kurenai addressed the acting Kurama clan head. "So Unkai-sama, it seems that you have a rather slow learning curve. The Sandaime forbid you from acting against Yakumo in any fashion, and the Godaime's regent agreed with the ruling. Yet your clan thinks that it is alright to ignore direct orders whenever you feel like it and attack such a poor girl? I cannot wait to see what Jiraiya-sama does to you when we get back to the village." Watching the three men pale was definitely the high point of the day. Maybe she could petition to be present when Jiraiya started to work on them?

Gathering himself, Unkai sighed deeply. "What else could be done, Kurenai? The Id Possession of the Kurama Prodigy is very well documented. With Yakumo's powers, that creature could have leveled half of Konoha. Do you think that I wanted to kill my own flesh and blood? Some things must be done to protect the village, and I would rather kill the child myself than watch her descend into madness!" Shuddering, the elder ninja could no longer look at a paling Yakumo. "The tales of the torture the Id can use are horrible. We could never want the poor girl to suffer like that. What else was there to do?" Mindful of the fearful girl gripping her arm Kurenai was about to bite back a reply, only to be forcefully interrupted by a resounding crash.

Looking over at the noise, Kurenai felt a small sweat drop form at the sight of an enraged Sakura, fist extended through the remains of a shattered tree. Noting the various Genin stare in shock, the Jonin decided that some more control and taijutsu training was needed. If the young Kunoichi could pull this sort of thing off at will, she would truly be a danger on the battlefield. Seeing the look Sakura was giving the Kurama elder, the Jonin almost felt sorry for Unkai. Instead, she could really go for some popcorn right now.

Picking up a very large branch with no apparent effort, Sakura slammed it into the ground for emphasis. "She's your family, you god damned idiot! You are supposed to love and support her! The only reason that thing became so powerful is because she didn't have anyone to support her dreams without question!" Dropping the ruined wood, she cracked her knuckles. "A person is still a person, no matter what their family or ability. But you jerks marked her as a genius and prodigy, and instead of being proud of what she could do, you worried about what she was capable of! She needed nurturing, not crazy standards and murderous relatives! How could you not see that?"

Observing the cowering Kurama clan members, Kurenai let out a sigh. Sakura's speech might have been a little naive, but she had to admit it was rather inspiring. Apparently Naruto had rubbed off on her a bit. Watching Yakumo's look of shock at Sakura's impassioned defense, the Jonin firmed her resolve. She had given up on Yakumo because of her own fear and feelings of inadequacy, but that was going to change right now. It might not be practical, or convenient, but damn it she would help this child reach her true potential! Even if she had to flash the pervert to make it happen!

-----

Looking at the group in front of him, Jiraiya began to understand just what his Sensei had been going through all these years. The conflict of what was best for the village versus what was right really did suck sometimes. On one hand, Kurama Yakumo represented a clear and present danger to the safety of the village. Her next painting could do anything from destroying the Hokage monument to leveling the forest. But the look in the Jonin's eyes was enough to almost make a believer out of him. "Are you sure about this Kurenai?"

Nodding without fear, the beautiful Jonin smiled. "I believe that by taking recent events into account, there can be no other course of action. Yakumo has always been talented, but I failed to properly maintain her rate of growth when she was my apprentice. However, I now believe that the failure was not on her part, but my inability to allow her to develop the mental discipline in such a limited atmosphere. With the current team construction, she cannot join Team Eight. But if she was allowed to develop her skills in the company of her peers, then I know that she can grow into a fine Genjutsu specialist."

It was far from ideal. Yakumo's talent was by far the greatest Genjutsu potential within Konoha. That was the main reason that Kurenai had apprenticed her in the first place. But being lumped together with an active team could introduce a whole new level of stress on the girl. But at the same time, he had to admit that socialization might do her some good. If anything, this could be an interesting test case for when Naruto's little problem became more widely known. The parallels between the two were downright unnerving.

Sighing, Jiraiya decided that some faith was in order. Besides, from the report the Haruno brat had managed to subdue the Id without help. Perhaps spending time with Yakumo would help stabilize things a bit. "Alright, I'll let this go. After a mental evaluation, Kurama Yakumo will be attached to Team Eight for ninja tutoring with an emphasis on Genjutsu. Hopefully the group learning environment will help her more than an apprenticeship did." Looking at the hopeful girl behind the Jonin, he smirked. "That is, unless Yakumo-chan has some sort of objection?"

Looking down, the child appeared pensive. "I want to become stronger. Whatever that thing was, it managed to kill my family because I lacked the will to control it. I didn't know what Kurenai-sensei and the Sandaime went through to keep me safe, and I would be spitting at their sacrifices if I let that happen." Firming her stance, Yakumo met his gaze with fear and determination. "So I will train and grow to protect the home that my family loved. I humbly thank you for this opportunity and promise not to let you down!"

Smiling at the determined girl, the Toad Sage let out a sigh. Clearly he was going soft in his old age. "I'll have you crash with Kurenai for right now. Hopefully we can arrange more permanent accommodations later on. Now if you two lovely ladies would excuse me, there are other matters that require my attention. Oh, and remind that Nara brat to fill out his paperwork later." Watching the two leave, Jiraiya felt a smile coming on. He always was a sucker for a happy ending. Now it was time to take care of one little guilty pleasure.

Signaling his ANBU, Jiraiya kept his face impassive at the sight of his newly delivered guests. These three had tried to do what was best for Konoha, but as Danzou had demonstrated the road to Hell was paved with good intentions. "I don't think I have to tell you how angry your actions have made me. Circumventing a direct order, collaborating to commit murder, and attacking fellow Konoha ninja with the intent to kill; truly your clan will fall if such treasonous actions are left unpunished. You're just lucky that everything went as well as it did. At the very least some of the Genin got a valuable lesson in dealing with a Genjutsu battle." Heads bowed the battered forms of Kurama Unkai and his direct subordinates remained silent.

Leaning back, the Hokage Regent smirked. "I don't think I'll need you to lose your ninja status, but after I'm done you'll wish you were dead." Looking at the nervous Chunin, he shook his head. "I can't punish you two too badly, because you where ordered as part of an internal clan matter. Therefore, I want you on gate duty for the next six months. There have been some reports of infiltrations due to illusionary techniques, and a couple of masters would be invaluable there." Noting their sudden relaxation, he decided to nudge Iruka to make their lives hell when they got bored. From what he understood, Konohamaru had a very short attention span.

Looking at the still tense figure of Unkai, the smirk turned vicious. "As for you, well such actions could very well be a sign of senility. Therefore I think that you need a proper evaluation of your skills to insure you are still fit for ninja life. Therefore, you will begin the requisite one hundred D-rank missions to test your viability. I'm sure Homura and Koharu will be glad to have the help. After all, they have been at it for months, and have failed the evaluations twice. Maybe you'll have better luck?" Seeing the look of horror on the old fools face, Jiraiya almost cackled. It looked like Tora-chan had a new chew toy!

-----

Authors Notes

Cliffhanger Jutsu - Complete! Yay!

I am so sorry everybody! I was planning on having this chapter out much sooner than this, but I got caught up in all sorts of unexpected holiday plans with friends and family. Between those preparations and trying to finish a large amount of extra work before the end of the year, things got ahead of me.

Again, thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I am sorry that I did not manage to reply to everybody, especially some of my favorites. You know who you are. *wink*  
I will strive to improve this in the future, I swear!

Oh, and for you doubters...Naruto's inspiration through proxy! Hey, Sakura has pretty well documented mental issues, and it seems to be her special ability in cannon. Sasuke has that bloody eye thing that just keeps leveling up. Naruto has the super powered chakra demon in his tummy. So, for Sakura to fit in at ANY level in Team Seven, she needed some sort of edge. Of course, this is the first time it s done anything since the Chunin Exam, but such is life.

Now, this seems to be the best time to clear up a minor issue. The Yakumo and the Kurama Clan are not OC s. They are cannon from the anime fillers. If you want a detailed explanation on their situation, I would recommend leafninja dot com. If anyone has specific questions concerning my interpretation of the clan as depicted here, I swear I ll respond to a review or private message.

Now then, on to the next chapter; some people claim that it's the end of the world as we know it. But Naruto and company are feeling just fine! Stay Tuned!


	27. Tipping the Scales

No I don't own Naruto. That is WAY too many DVD box sets for my wallet.

Chapter Twenty Four: Tipping the Scales

As the sun rose on the ninja encampment Uzumaki Naruto, Chunin and all around awesome ninja, rose to begin his morning. Yawning in the bright sunlight, he headed over to the nearby stream to clean his face. The water was cold, but invigorating, and soon the hyperactive blonde was looking forward to his day. The sky was clear, the breeze was crisp, and he was pumped and ready to go. Honestly, this was some of the best weather they had gotten since setting out. But that was not what was truly important. Today would be just another awesome chance to get stronger, because it was time to train!

Reaching for his pack, Naruto grabbed his normal clothing and prepared for training. Running his hand through his hair in lieu of his missing headband, he glanced over at the camp fire and found himself relaxing. Both Hinata-chan and Shizune-nee-chan where hard at work making breakfast, a duty they had claimed when it was discovered his knowledge of preparing food consisted of microwave meals, ramen cups and the related skill of boiling water. Tsunade-baa-chan was banned because, while she claimed her cooking was extra-healthy, the group would honestly rather eat ninja ration bars. Of course, Hana had not been with them long enough for it to come up, but he suspected that hunting would not be an issue for a while. All in all, Naruto was just thankful that both girls where such great cooks.

Still, the blonde found his gaze drifting towards Hinata-chan once again. Ever since fighting the Lizard Lord, he had found himself extra aware of where the quiet girl was at all times. The image of the young Kunoichi sprawled on the ground unconscious left Naruto feeling weak and nervous at the same time. He knew that the girl had done a great job, and all her effort really showed. Even without the Byakugan, she had really kept it together, working twice as hard to overcome the problem. In some ways, he was so proud that he could burst. But at the same time, Hinata had been hurt during his escape plan, and thinking about one of his precious people injured because he was not good enough left bad taste in the boy's mouth.

Shaking his head, the hyperactive ninja slapped his cheeks to help focus. What was past was past, and dwelling on it would do nothing. His goal was to get better and protect everyone he cared for. Therefore, Naruto knew that he had to remember his failure, but not get dragged down by it. He would learn, help Hinata get better, and make sure that nothing bad happened the next time they dealt with a giant creature hiding itself with an illusion. He never gave up, on himself or his friends, because that was his ninja way!

Going through some stretches to help get the blood flowing, the young ninja smirked. Today was going to be especially fun because he actually got to learn something completely new! Medical stuff, advanced taijutsu, and special ninjutsu were great and all, but Hana was going to show him her moves today! If not for the Kyuubi, he would probably still have some bruises from the fight against Kiba. The idea of learning even a fraction of those skills made him want to jump up and down in excitement! Of course, the intense training he had been dealing with lately had helped to condition that sort of reaction out of him, but it was still going to be really cool.

Heading over to the camp fire, Naruto was struck by an odd thought. Upon his discovery of precious people and friends, he had found the beginnings of bonds that had been lacking his entire life. But here, out in the wilds with a group of Kunoichi, he had found the start of a real family. He did not know where everyone fit yet, but this trip would probably be one of his best memories behind the Hokage's desk. Smiling, he went over to get his plate. Hinata-chan made a great rice ball, and he could not wait to see how it was going to be decorated today.

-----

Watching the summoned slug disappear in a cloud of smoke, Jiraiya looked at the scroll with some trepidation. Setting Hana on Tsunade's trail made things a little calmer in the village, but he knew his teammate. Tsunade hated it when someone manipulated her into anything, and was very quick to strike down any and all offenders. Hell, the only reason he got away with using Naruto to convince her to become Hokage in the first place was the fact she really liked the kid. As far as he knew, she had opened his scroll several days ago, so the extra time could only mean she had determined a particularly nasty form of revenge.

Carefully cracking the seal, the Toad Sage let out a sigh of relief. The scroll did not appear to be trapped, at least on the surface. Removing a set of gloves, he proceeded to hold the text as far from his skin as possible. That way, any contact or airborne agents would be less likely to affect him. Looking over the contents of the scroll, he blinked, brought it closer and blinked again. Removing the gloves and taking a deep breath, Jiraiya began to read in earnest. Tsunade did not even have to get creative in her vengeance. The bare facts were enough to keep him busy for a while.

Calling for his secretary, Jiraiya bit back a sigh at the male figure that walked through the door. It was such a shame that all the Kunoichi had refused to work under him for an extended period of time. As a kid dreaming to be Hokage, having a hot assistant had always been a job perk he had looked forward to. The current situation was just a bit of a letdown in that respect. Filling out a scroll, he handed it off to the hapless Chunin. "Alright, I want this sent to the Land of Honey. That mission to Neck Country was upgraded, and as such they will be expected to make up the difference. We have enough trouble properly assigning missions without our forces being misdirected."

Looking at the eager face ready to please, he tried to smile. It was not the kid's fault that more shit would be hitting the fan than he knew what to do with. "Before you do that though, please inform Clan Head Inuzuka Tsume that her daughter has been reassigned and will not be available for the previously discussed project." Nodding, the Chunin left with a relaxed yet purposeful step, making Jiraiya wince. It was almost like leading a lamb to the slaughter.

Shrugging off his feelings of guilt, the Toad Sage decided that it was time to indulge in one of his favorite perks. Sealing the door and making sure the ANBU where all male, he pulled out the Hokage viewing orb. Giggling, he directed the image to cover the Hot Springs. After all, his appointment as Regent was only temporary, so he had to keep up his research. He might not get the same level of inspiration from the hazy picture as the thrill of the peep, but it did have the advantage of being somewhat safer. Sitting back with his notepad, the Super Pervert of Konoha began taking his notes with a smile. Of course, that was the point where a cloud of smoke had to interrupt.

Sighing, Jiraiya turned to the little orange toad squatting on the desk. "What do you want, Gamakichi? Did the kid send you with something else outside of Tsunade's report?" He could not think of any other reason for the squirt to come here. Like any other Toad Summoner, as long as he lived, the toads would be able to locate him. They just did not bother on their own very often. Unless, of course, the little brat wanted a treat to keep quiet about his peeking to Gamabunta again.

Shaking his head, the son of the Toad Boss snorted. "Nope, I haven't had a chance to hang with Naruto-bro in a while. I'm here on behalf of Ma and Pa toad. They want you to come back to the mountain as soon as you can. Pops told them something and it's got both of the old geezers freaked out pretty bad. I'm supposed to have Gamaken summon you once things are straightened out here." Gulping, Jiraiya frowned. Whatever was going on would have to be major to involve the current Sages of the Toad Tribe. He needed to leave at once.

Jiraiya was about to tell Gamakichi to return and initiate the Reverse Summoning when a shriek filled the air. Hearing the familiar sound of a furious female running towards him, the Toad Sage pinched his nose in irritation. "You're going to have to hold on, Gamakichi. Something tells me that this is going to take a while." Before the young toad could respond, Inuzuka Tsume in all her furious glory burst through the door, her canine partner right behind her.

-----

Looking over her students, Shizune smiled. While fighting and healing could be enjoyable in their own ways, teaching gave her a sense of fulfillment that had been sorely lacking. There was nothing like watching that moment of realization where all the studies and lectures became clear. Plus, you were less likely to be injured reading a scroll than doing one of Tsunade-sama's workouts. Pointing to Naruto, she asked, "Alright, a person has been using Food Pills to maintain their chakra levels during an A-rank mission. However, three days after they return back they begin to show such symptoms as miss-coordination, exhaustion, and discolored extremities. What would be the first thing that you would want to check for?"

Frowning, Naruto bit his lip. "Well, the first thing I would like to do is ask how long his mission was. But since it's an A-rank, I would have to assume that the contents and all information pertaining to it would be classified. So instead I would ask to see his Food Pill pouch and ask when the last time was that they refilled it. That could give me a rough estimate of how many pills the subject took and an idea if the pills where the reason for the symptoms. Once that was confirmed or denied, then a proper blood test to gather more information on the cause would be needed." Smiling, Shizune felt like cheering. Naruto had pointed out a significant issue with any medical ninja diagnosis concerning confidentiality of associated information. That had been the major reason for stating that the mission was such a high rank.

Smiling softly, Hinata raised her own hand. "Another thing to check would be recent behavior or interactions in the village. Since the event occurred several days after the mission was over, it could be anything from a virus to withdrawal symptoms from the Food Pills. In the mean time, a general treatment to insure their rest and hydration would probably help and certainly not hurt any of the normal causes for such reactions. If it was an uncommon one, then the resulting change could be vital in determining further treatment." Watching the younger Kunoichi pat the pouting Naruto on the hand, Shizune suppressed a chuckle. Naruto might be sneakier, but Hinata's healer's instincts had his own beat hands down.

Honestly when she had heard of Tsunade's plan to make these two medical ninja apprentices, Shizune had been a little nervous. Naruto was a sweet guy, if somewhat loud, but his initial impression did not lend itself to study. Hinata was simply a name on a report and an image on a video. But as time passed and Naruto's mental ability was properly developed, the young brunette laid her fears to rest. Now that he could use his full potential, Naruto would absorb information like a sponge, and rattled of text book answers at the drop of a hat. Hinata's drive to help her crush coupled by a lifetime of intimate training concerning the human body left the girl with excellent healer's instincts. Even if Sakura joined in, these two had cemented their apprenticeships with dedication and hard work. Honestly she could not be prouder to be their sempai.

Standing and stretching, Shizune suppressed a mild smirk at Naruto's wandering eye. While he was not that expressive for a boy his age, the lack of mental blockers had led the blonde to appreciate the female form at properly healthy levels. Giving him the in-depth medical talk on reproduction was going to be fun! "Alright, I think that's enough of facts and figures! Now it's time to work on our medical control!" Watching their faces fall in unison was just too cute! Hinata had almost mastered the technique, but always hated how Naruto got after his own failure. Plus, watching fish after fish explode was never a pleasant experience. Still, even with their massive strides, those two needed all the chakra control training that they could get. Their reserves where becoming large for Jonin, and more of a shock with each passing day.

-----

Looking at her empty sake cup, Tsume sighed. Upon receiving notice that Hana was dropped from consideration for the Uchiha Breeding Project, she had stormed to the tower ready to tear that pervert's throat out. The Clan Head had not endured months of stress and reproach from her offspring only to be told the child was not good enough! But upon entering the office, Jiraiya had been uncharacteristically blunt. Hana was a fine candidate, but had been given a special detached assignment outside the village. Since she had volunteered and Konoha needed her in place, there was no reason to hold a place in the project for an absentee Kunoichi.

Frustrated, Tsume had attempted to take on the responsibility herself. It was not an ideal choice, seeing as she was not really young enough to guarantee another offspring, but she had to try. After all, the Alpha of the pack had to be willing to lead by example, or none would be willing to follow. As expected, her request was denied. Not only was she too old to be considered as a viable candidate, the political connotations would be too severe. If a Clan Head was seen as having a child with the Sharingan, the theoretical offspring would be so valuable as a bargaining chip that it could cause a destabilization in the village's balance of power. He might be a little scatter-brained, but Jiraiya was not willing to allow such potential abuse of power.

In addition, the children of the project would require families that could devote their lives to them. As leader of the Inuzuka, Tsume simply did not have the time for such an involved job. She had argued ferociously, but the Toad Sage would not be budged. Since Hana was no longer available and there were no other Inuzuka candidates to choose from, Jiraiya officially stated that the clan would no longer be considered for the project. Seeing that nothing would change Jiraiya's mind, and sensing the ANBU getting into position to remove her if necessary, the Matriarch made an executive decision. She would find a bar that served before five and get completely plastered. Then, she would figure out what to tell her daughter whenever this mission was over.

While she knew she could be a bit of a hard ass, Tsume had hated fighting her child like that. Oh, on some levels she had been proud of the girl's determination. Before, Hana had always come off as a little soft spoken by Inuzuka standards. Her veterinary training had left the girl with a no-nonsense view of life, and as a result Hana sometimes had trouble cutting loose. Some sadistic part of Tsume's soul cackled in glee with each sign of rebellion her eldest showed concerning the Uchiha Breeding Project. But the part of Tsume that was simply a mother missed the closeness she had with her daughter. Now she had nothing to show for her efforts but a pissed off kid.

Tipping back her cup, the Inuzuka Clan Head reached for a fresh bottle. However, her attempt at shot number twenty seven was stopped by a much larger hand. "Don't you think it's a little early for the head of the Inuzuka to be smashed, Tsume?" Looking up, the Kunoichi was treated to the smile of Akimichi Chouza. He looked exhausted, and had probably just returned from a mission. Snorting, Tsume reclaimed her hand. Leave it to someone so powerful to have a smile that kind.

Trying to ignore his concern, the Inuzuka successfully claimed another bottle. "Sorry big guy, but I'm not in the mood for company. Honestly, I just want to forget that today ever happened." Ignoring her subtle threat, Chouza sat down right beside her. Under normal circumstances, Tsume might have tried to kick the big lugs ass. Unfortunately the sake she had been consuming was rather potent, and the room was a little fuzzy. Deciding that ignoring him would be healthier for the moment, Tsume knocked back the next shot.

Ordering a mug of beer, Chouza turned to face her. "So, do you want to talk about it? Something must be pretty screwed up for you to go on a bender like this in the middle of the day." Tsume was tempted to tell the man to shove off if not for two reasons. Firstly, there had been no chance to talk about her recent troubles lately, and she could use some support. Secondly, Chouza was a good guy, and the chance of him using this sort of information maliciously was slim to nil. Of course, she might have just had too much to drink to keep it all inside anymore. Whatever the reason, Tsume found herself opening up to the quiet man with disturbing speed.

"Well it's like this. Me and Hana got into this big fight about the Uchiha thing, and it's only gotten worse over the last few weeks. But this morning, Jiraiya told me that Hana was assigned a long term mission and couldn't be used in the project. I tried everything I could, including offering myself, but that old pervert would have none of it. Now the Inuzuka clan can't gain the Sharingan, and there's no reason to fight with my kid anymore. Only, she's not around and I don't know when we can talk again. So, in the meantime I'm going to drink until I can't feel feelings anymore!" Slamming another shot of liquor, Tsume sighed. It did feel a little better to talk about the problem, but it was not like anything had magically changed by doing so.

Taking a swig from his tankard, the larger ninja sighed. "I don't understand why you where so interested in that. None of the other Clan Heads thought that it was a good idea, and quite frankly we still don't. I had a few interested clanswomen petition me to get included, but I rejected them. The whole thing just feels sick." Bristling, Tsume knew what her efforts might look like from the outside. That had not stopped her from trying, just gave her an idea of what others might think about it. Oh well, it was not like it mattered anymore.

Looking down, Tsume began to sip her drink slowly. She was going to have to go home sometime soon, and she did not think Chouza's wife would appreciate her using the guy as a crutch to get out the door. "I didn't care about the Uchiha name or resources. I just wanted to make sure my clan would have a stronger chance of survival." Reaching down to scratch the ears of her partner, she smirked. "The Sharingan was one of the strongest kekkei genkai in the world. If the Inuzuka had it, then Konoha would have a powerful and loyal ninja force to ensure its prosperity. However, more importantly, the Inuzuka would lose fewer family members on missions. If joining the program kept our future generations safe then I am all for it. Of course, it's moot now, but what can you do?"

Snorting into his beer, Chouza gave her a look. "That might sound all noble, but what's the point of protecting the pack if you change it so completely? Every living Uchiha is now a traitor, despite the best that Konoha could give them. Do you really want to risk the Inuzuka loyalty over something so basic? Honestly, it would be better to build up your own technique school than rely upon such a temperamental kekkei genkai." Looking at the man, Tsume felt her eye twitch. It was a little holier than thou, but the Akimichi made a good point. Still, she was not going to let him look down his nose at her! Of course, that ignored the fact that it was only her Inuzuka stubbornness that was keeping her seated right now.

"Well, it's not like you've never made a mistake! Heck, you were one of the biggest supporters of stringing Uzumaki up by his toenails! Look just how that sort of thinking turned out. Poor kid gets really screwed up and we're out a Hokage! Isn't hindsight a beautiful thing?" Watching Chouza turn red, Tsume did feel a little bad, but could not find the strength to care. He was the one who had been lecturing on how to run her clan! Turnabout was only fair after all.

Gathering himself, Chouza ordered another beer. "I admit that was not my shining moment. At least I learned from my mistake and tried to move beyond it. Although, for that crack I think that the next round is on you." Shaking her head in amusement, and then taking a moment to not throw up from the motion, Tsume glanced around to see if anyone had seen the big bad Akimichi take her down a peg. Of course, since this was the middle of the afternoon, the closest to any company the two had been the discarded bag of chips by the doorway.

-----

Watching the energetic blonde, Hana suppressed a grin. After seeing Naruto wipe the floor with a boss summon creature, she knew he had power. Observing his training with Tsunade-sama demonstrated his determination and focus. However, observing his time with Hinata-chan showed just how oblivious the poor boy really was. In fact, he was almost as bad as her brother. He appeared to have learned some tactics and control, but it was nowhere near enough. Let Tsunade and Shizune teach him medical techniques and turn him into a powerhouse. She would show Naruto some of the subtler tricks, even if she had to wipe the floor with him to do so.

Clearing her throat, she decided to mess with him a little first. "So I bet you're all ready to learn the secrets of the Inuzuka Clan techniques, aren't you Naruto? I'm sure that the idea of ripping through enemies with your teeth and tracking enemies' miles away with only a sniff is making you salivate. Am I right?" Seeing his enthusiastic nod, Hana blushed and looked down demurely. "Alright, I suppose we can get started. I hope you don't mind but I think that we can use the temple a day's travel to the west. A couple of kimono, some sips of sake, and you'll be a proper Inuzuka by marriage. Then I can train you in all the clan techniques you want!" Watching the number one prankster's face go from awed to horrified in an instant, Hana could not help herself. She burst out laughing on the spot!

Wiping a tear from her eye, the young Kunoichi grinned. "Think of that as lesson one. Rules can only be bent so far before they smack you. I know that Tsunade-sama has been bending over backwards to make sure you're safe. Honestly, you must have impressed her quite a bit for such loyalty, and I can respect that. But not every person you meet is going to be so accommodating. Clan techniques are held by the family for a reason, and won't be shared lightly. No matter how pissed off I am at mom for her recent behavior, I'd lie down and die before betraying the clan for this position. You're lucky, but not that lucky brat." Plus, if she actually made such a move, Hinata would never speak to her again. That girl had it bad.

Sighing, Naruto gave off a weak chuckle. "Hey, a guy can dream can't he? Kiba nearly kicked my butt with those techniques, so I was looking forward to using them. Although I guess they wouldn't work so well without a ninja dog, would they?" Smiling, the blonde scratched the back of his head. "Alright, that was a pretty good prank! You definitely have a better sense of humor than your brother. So what will we be working on, anyways?"

Straightening her back, Hana turned serious. "The Inuzuka Clan has a long history of working with the Hunter Ninja Corps of Konoha. While a large percentage of the Corps is made up of my clan, quite a few come from minor clans or are orphans. The Hunter Ninja lifestyle is a solitary one, unless the target is particularly strong, and it became essential to develop a generic ninja art that mimics our natural abilities. Therefore, the Inuzuka created a series of exercises to help refine and enhance the senses of non clan Hunter Ninja." Smirking, she enjoyed Naruto's awed expression. It was rather gratifying.

"These techniques worked well enough that the Inuzuka began to teach them as training exercises for the younger members of the clan. Since your natural regeneration seems to enhance your senses so well, we are going to start on refining and controlling your sense of smell." Seeing his scowl, she was quick to stop a senseless tirade. "It might not be as flashy as ninjutsu, but by the time these abilities are mastered, you will be able to locate a lost comrade miles away in the dead of night. Or, fight an enemy with your eyes closed. From what rumors I've heard, that will be especially important in your upcoming battles." It was the nicest way she could think to say that Uchiha Itachi was going to try to kill him. Even with Tsunade's limited briefing on Akatsuki's goals, that fact was clear enough for her to grasp at once.

Clapping her hands together, Hana tried to break the sudden tension. "Alright, to start let's test your current level. I want you to close your eyes and meditate for me." Sighing, the blonde followed her instructions without comment. Circling him, the Kunoichi began to speak, altering the tone of her voice to offset his perception of distance. That way, he could not simply complete the exercise from memory. "Next, I want you to send just a little chakra to your nose. Try to feel the air around you, how it flows and covers everything. The wind has tiny specks of everything in its currents, allowing the smallest thing to be traced. Once you can perceive and catalogue those specks, the different scents will become clear. After you manage that, tell me what you have found."

Frowning, Naruto cocked his head to the side. Pointing in her direction, he stated, "You're the easiest one, Hana. You smell of dogs and blood." Pointing to where Hinata and Shizune where going over a medical chakra technique, Naruto continued. "That's where Hinata-chan and Shizune-nee-chan are. Hinata-chan smells like lavender and Shizune-nee-chan smells like metal and herbs." Pointing in the opposite direction where Tsunade-sama was going over a large scroll, he frowned. "I think that's Baa-chan. She smells like sake and old paper. I wonder why?"

Hana felt her eyebrow twitch. In approximately thirty seconds, Naruto had gotten farther than the average Hunter ninja did in six months of work. Channeling chakra to the nose effectively was tricky, because if you were not careful you ended up overloading the technique so that you could not understand the incoming data. This brat had not only accurately identified his comrades' locations, but found their primary scents. It was annoying, but the Inuzuka in her was curious how far this could go. Hana had never tired teaching before, but the little thrill she got from his success was intriguing. "Alright, I think that I know where to start. But I'm warning you kid, that this is going to get a lot harder from here on out."

Opening his eyes, the younger Chunin flashed a cocky grin. "Hey, if I'm going to be Hokage, hard work comes with the territory! So bring it on, Hana-sensei and let's go wild!" Blinking, Hana tried to picture the little brat in the Hokage's robes before giggling. It was almost like seeing a less refined version of the Yondaime! Shrugging the odd thought off, she got down to work.

-----

Sighing, Chouza made his way home in the growing twilight. After another four rounds, poor Tsume had been flat on her back drunk. No matter how strong her Kunoichi metabolism, the matriarch was getting on in years and could not put them away like she used to. He had been forced to carry her through the rooftops back the Inuzuka clan house, and wait for a couple of her clansmen to get her to bed. There was no way he wanted the village or her son to see her in such a state. Unfortunately, the errand had taken longer than expected, and he was dangerously close to being late for dinner. Since that only happened in the Akimichi household when there was a threat to the village or A-rank mission involved, he could only hope his delicate flower of a wife would not freak out too much wondering where he was.

Looking up, the Clan Head tensed. His darling was standing in the doorway, franticly looking around. Watching her eyes light up at the sight of him, Chouza winced. Hopefully she would remain that caring when she discovered the reason for his delay. She did tend to get slightly jealous at the worst possible moments. So it was to his great surprise that she grabbed his arm without so much as a scolding. "Thank goodness you're here, darling! You must come inside quickly! Something is wrong with Chouji-kun!" Hearing her concern, he picked up his pace until they reached the dining room entrance.  
Even if things where a little tight in the village, the Akimichi always made sure to have a proper meal. Stacked upon the table where piles of succulent food, lovingly prepared by his beautiful wife. Based upon their fighting techniques and dispositions, the Akimichi always viewed a good meal as absolutely vital to their continued wellbeing. Therefore, whenever they were in front of such a feast, they would eat, unmindful of delayed family members. After all, if they wanted to eat with one another, there was always another course they could enjoy. But his heir was just sitting there, looking at the food and not touching a crumb! That had never happened before in any way, shape or form! His darling was right; something had to be seriously wrong here!

Directing his worried spouse to wait outside, Chouza approached the silent teen. Maneuvering his armor-clad figure, he sat down with the upmost care. The clan had spared no expense in reinforcing the floors of their abodes, but it was better not to take chances. "Son, is something wrong? You have not touched a thing, and it's almost like you're wasting away before my eyes!" Looking at his sons eyes, Chouza suddenly felt short of breath. Why would Chouji look so betrayed? "Son, what happened to you?"

Looking away, Chouji broke off his gaze. Frowning, Chouza tried to think what could have happened to his kid. The boy had not acted this depressed since he was a child getting left out of games. In fact, since meeting Shikamaru, he had always been a bright and caring boy who put others before himself. Could one of his friends be in trouble? But who and why? Chouza's thoughts were broken by his son's whispered question. "Is it true dad? Were you one of the people to hurt Naruto?" Eyes widening, the Clan Head gulped. This could not end well.

"Where did you hear that, son? Who told you that I hurt Naruto?" The most likely suspect was of course Shikamaru. Ever since his little production all those months back, the boy had made himself rather scarce. All he would do lately was going home to sleep, train with his team, or work with his friends. From what he had heard, Yoshino was on her last nerve at his silent treatment. But why would the boy remain silent for so long, only to inform Chouji of his suspicions today? It did not make any sense!

Sighing, Chouji met his gaze. "After team practice today, Shikamaru said he heard you were coming back from your mission this afternoon. I thought I could meet you and walk home together. Then, when I found you in the bar speaking with Kiba's mom, I heard her say that you wanted to hurt Naruto. He's just a kid dad. What would make you want to string him up by his toenails?"

Wincing, Chouza flashed back to that night so long ago. The Forbidden Scroll of Sealing had been stolen, with all signs pointing at the Kyuubi brat. Finally, this was a chance to avenge their lost comrades and expose the creature for what he really was. He could not help but get swept up in the excitement and bloodlust of that evening. Even when the truth had come out, that little flame of vengeance had lasted until Tsunade had saved his child. That was the moment that he realized that Naruto was not a demon, but a proud ninja of Konoha.

However, how could he explain all this to his son? The Third's law was still in effect, and he knew that breaking it would gain nothing. There was simply no way to put the hatred and fear of so many years into simple words. Chouji had never dealt with a giant, unstoppable creature tearing his comrades into little pieces and lashing out at the world. "I'm sorry Chouji, but it's more complicated than that." He was shocked when the gentle boy's gaze turned from sorrow to anger in a moment.

Standing, Chouji pointed at his father with burning eyes. "Why is it that everything dealing with Naruto is considered either a secret or complicated? I've known the kid for years, and he's always been a good friend. Yet, I never got close to him because you and mom always said not to! If he wasn't a bad influence, he was outright dangerous! What has Naruto done to deserve such treatment?" Feeling the raw rage in his child's eyes, Chouza could not meet his gaze.

Snorting, Chouji turned away. "When I heard about what happened to Naruto, I was really surprised. I wondered what it would be like to have so many of my abilities destroyed or weakened just because some ninja got annoyed at my goals. It made me sick, and thankful that I had a family to protect me and make me stronger. When I found out that Ino's family had hurt him, I tried to be strong for her. She felt dirty just being associated with the Yamanaka name after that came out. But I still was thankful for my family, who always supported me and was there for me. Now what am I supposed to think?"

Biting his lip, Chouza tried to come up with an argument to make this matter drop. The situation was not exactly the same. The Akimichi had simply distanced themselves from the boy, and discouraged interaction. This had in fact been aided by some of his most outlandish pranks, scaring people away. In addition, his clan had made a point to avoid the Ichiraku ramen stand, despite its excellent reputation, to show their displeasure against Naruto's presence. But no matter what he came up with, his son would never understand without all the facts. "Please Chouji; can we speak about this later?"

At first his heir was silent. But then he began to talk, and Chouza wished he had kept his big mouth shut. "I know that I might not be the smartest ninja, but there are some things I get. Naruto is one of my friends, even if you don't like it. What happened to him was really wrong, and it makes me angry. But most importantly, even if every bad thing people said about the guy is true, he convinced Tsunade-sama to come back to the village. Without her I would be dead, so it stands to reason that I owe Naruto my life. Now, I think I want to be excused from dinner tonight." Watching his child walk away, Chouza could not think of anything to say to stop him.

-----

Staring at the stone pillar, Hinata firmed her stance. She had been working tirelessly on this technique for months, and was ready to finish it. Today was the day she would win! Focusing her breathing, the young Kunoichi gathered chakra in her fist. Lashing out with a cry, she felt elation as the pillar shattered into pieces. She had done it! Of course, her elation turned to pain as her arm began to ache. Looking down at the ruins of the training tool, Hinata sighed in depression. Once again, she had failed to utilize the technique correctly.

Smiling, Tsunade-sensei came over to look at the damage. "You've come a long way, Hinata. Only a few months in, and you're already shattering the pillar. At this rate, you'll have the technique finished within half a year! That's most impressive." Hinata tired to keep her spirits up as the medic ninja healed the damage. True, this was the first time that she had managed to destroy the training tool. But no matter how hard she tried, she just could not manage to deflect all the force properly. Despite all her hard work, the young Hyuga was beginning to get irritated.

Apparently seeing the self-recrimination in her eyes, Tsunade put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Now, now Hinata-chan, don't put yourself down! When I first started using this technique, it took me years of study and effort to manage this much. In a few short months, you have come much farther than I could have dreamed. So keep that chin up, alright?" Feeling the words of comfort, Hinata cracked a grin. In spite of her tough exterior, Tsunade-sensei did care, and made a point of being supportive. She just did not let too many people get close to her for it to show.

Looking around, Tsunade then whispered, "You know, it's too bad that you don't have the same training tools that I did. This is just the best I could throw together with what I had available." Her expression must have matched her confusion because the elder blonde chuckled knowingly. "Originally, I perfected this technique by using that pervert Jiraiya as my personal punching bag. Nothing motivates you better to lash out than a stupid peeping tom. It's too bad that you don't have anyone to practice on, ne?" Tsunade's knowing look did nothing to help Hinata's blush.

The younger Kunoichi would be the first to admit that things were going much better between her and Naruto-kun. She did not faint in his presence as much, was able to talk with him whenever she felt like it, and found herself enjoying his company every day. Oh, the blonde was not as perfect as she had dreamed, but those little quirks made him all the more endearing. However, there was no magical understanding between the two about a more serious relationship. Naruto was mostly unskilled in those sorts of interactions, and she was just too scared of ruining things by pushing. Hopefully, when they finally managed to have that first date, she could see if something more would grow between them. That did not mean that she would not blush like a tomato when her fellow teammates would occasionally tease her about the subject. But the idea of Naruto-kun peeping on her was almost enough to make the young girl pass out again.

Chuckling at her discomfort, Tsunade clapped her hands together in a series of rapid hand seals. "Not to worry, Hinata-chan. All things come to those who wait. In the meantime though, I think you have the energy for a little more practice before we call it a day." Slapping her hands on the shattered pillar, Tsunade managed to reform the blasted thing right before her eyes. "Now get ready! I want this thing broken at least another dozen times! Begin!" Shaking her head to focus, Hinata returned to her ready stance.

-----

Standing between Ma and Pa Toad, leaders of the Toad Tribe, Jiraiya felt like a kid again. These two had trained him in the Toad Sage techniques, and other than Team Sarutobi and his own Genin Squad, were the closest things he had to family. Looking at the two elder beings staring down at him, the Sannin felt like the time he had been caught peeking on Tsunade in the baths. "Sorry it took me so long to get here, Ma and Pa. Things are a little hectic in Konoha right now, and I had to take care of some things before leaving. So what's the big emergency? Gamakichi made it sound like the world was in danger or something."

Rapping his staff against the ground, Pa Toad cleared his throat. "It very well might come to that, but we'll deal with such matters later. Gamabunta-chan was summoned a few days ago by Minato's little tadpole, Naruto-chan. After returning, he informed us of several notable changes including the boy having multiple summoning contracts and apparently training under the Senju princess. Normally, he might be a little put out at the disrespect shown, but Naruto-chan managed to convince an enemy summon boss to accept him in the midst of battle. After seeing that, our grandson was more than willing to allow the summoning contracts to stand."

Narrowing her eyes, Ma Toad snapped. "But several things in his report made us concerned. A ninja does not go from blundering around to using advanced strategy within a few months! When you allowed Naruto-chan to sign our contract, we did so under the impression that you where finally taking your responsibilities seriously! Minato-chan left his child in your care, and we have never agreed with your idea of allowing the boy to grow in obscurity! Now, you're off in Konoha acting as the Sixth Hokage while Tsunade-chan trains him instead! We are not stupid, Jiraiya-chan! Something big must be going on, and we need to know about it!"

Sighing, Pa Toad waved his wife off. "Please relax darling. We'll get to the bottom of this." Turning to the sweating human, the elder sage glowered. "Jiraiya-chan, Ma might be a little out of line, but you have to understand our position. We all cared deeply for Minato-chan, and if something has happened to his legacy, the Toad Tribe has a right to know. Even here on the mountain we hear rumblings about the movements of Akatsuki. Naruto-chan needs to get stronger and remain hidden, and you are the best person to handle that! Why then are you ignoring your spy network behind a desk while the boy is out in the wilds?"

Observing the two elders, Jiraiya winced. The Toads had never agreed with Sarutobi's plan to have Naruto live in obscurity without the protection of his father's legacy. While he thought the idea also had a few holes in it, Jiraiya's compliance had made the summons rather peeved with him. It was one of the reasons he avoided summoning Gamabunta unless absolutely necessary. But once the two sages heard about what had happened, who knew what their reactions would be? Sitting down, the old ninja rubbed his temples. "This is going to take a while, Ma and Pa. You might want to get comfortable." Watching his audience sit, Jiraiya began to explain.

-----

Tugging the final tie on his pack, Naruto looked over the clearing in contentment. The group had been here for nearly three days, and Baa-chan was getting worried about possible enemy movement. Therefore, she had told everyone to prepare to leave by sunset. With another couple of days of travel, they could finally hit the beach and work on advanced water walking. Honestly, the blonde could use the change of pace.

Oh, he had been having a lot of fun lately. Between his adventures and training, Naruto knew that the Hokage title was almost in the bag. At the very least, he would be able to properly protect his precious people once again. However weeks stuck in the middle of nowhere was getting boring. While he never got tired of training, constantly hanging around the forest was just no fun! He needed to be around people and strange sights! Besides, if they did not get into a city soon, how was he supposed to take Hinata-chan out on a date? It was maddening!

Looking down at his outfit, shredded from the constant abuse, he winced. Of course, before he even thought of going out on a date, he should probably find a tailor or something. Tsunade-baa-chan had gotten all that money for him from those jerks in the clans, right? Maybe he could pick a new outfit and look like an even more kick-ass ninja! Then they could go out with no problems! Shizune-nee-chan would probably help him out. Girls were supposed to like that sort of thing, weren t they?

Hearing some movement behind him, Naruto turned only to see Baa-chan approaching. "We're almost ready to go brat. Let's see how far along you are on the current jutsu." Sighing, the Chunin grabbed a kunai, only to throw it at a nearby tree. Quickly forming hand signs without a word, he watched in appreciation as ten new kunai formed with wisps of smoke. Going over, Tsunade grabbed the original weapon before tossing it back to him. "Not bad kid. Once you can do the technique silently with the same amount of chakra and produce twenty kunai, we'll move on to the next technique. Now form ten Shadow Clones and we'll be on our way."

Grumbling, Naruto pouted. "I don't see why I can't make more. Ten shadow clones are barely even worth it! If I could set up hundreds like I did back in the Land of Bird's this would take no time at all!" It seemed so unfair to have such an awesome method of boosting his abilities, and then barely use it. At this rate, he would be lucky to get ten techniques out of the Forbidden Scroll before they had to get back to the village!

Sighing, the elder Kunoichi pinched her nose in familiar irritation. "Brat, you know that's no longer safe. Now that you're properly using your brain, more information is getting retained after dispersing the Shadow Clones. With those stupid seals in place, you could disperse hundreds of clones without a single headache. But now that your mind is working at closer to its full capacity, using that many clones will give you a hemorrhage! Besides, I would rather we not leave too much of a trail to follow. So use the clones to practice the Shadow Kunai Jutsu as long as you can, alright? Once you're done, join the rest of us and prepare to head out."

Watching as the woman left, Naruto sighed. When she had mentioned using the Forbidden Scroll, he had pictured the hundreds of techniques within and drooled. However, Tsunade-baa-chan refused to allow them to learn a new technique unless the old ones where mastered completely. That meant that you had to be able to use the technique without a trace, such as smoke or sound. Calling out the names of jutsu was a rookie mistake, and she refused to allow them to develop that bad habit. Hinata had almost mastered two such techniques to this level, and he was on number three. But while he knew that it was good practice and helped him train his chakra control, Naruto was getting tired of the repetition. He needed something new to keep him occupied or he'd go crazy!

Smirking, Naruto poured as much chakra into ten clones as he dared. Looking at the copies, he rubbed his hands in glee. It was time for a new prank! "Alright, listen up! I want half of you to make more clones and work on the Shadow Kunai Jutsu. The other half will make clones devoted on using the Rasengan. Let's see if we can use the original one without a second clone to stabilize it. Is that clear?" Seeing the affirmative nods, Naruto headed out to join the others. Everybody would be so surprised when he started blasting his enemies away with the chakra sphere again! He could not wait for the look on Baa-chan's face!

-----

Jiraiya knew that this conversation was not going to go well, but the looks of shock and horror on both Toad Sages left him feeling ill. "That's it, basically. I removed the limiter seals, and Tsunade-hime is out there getting him up to one hundred percent. Without Danzou, dealing with the council will be a lot simpler, but I want to soften them up a bit more before taking further action. As it stands, I'm running out of excuses for keeping them on D-rank missions. Although, from the reports that Bunta and Tsunade gave me, I guess the kid is recovering a lot faster than I thought he would."

Narrowing her eyes, Ma Toad bit out. "What actions has Konoha done to redress this? To think that Minato-chan's son would be hurt in such a barbaric manner! I have half a mind to douse the village in oil and light a match! No child should ever have to suffer like that!" Jiraiya just barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. When Ma Toad's maternal instincts kicked in, whoever touched them off should watch out. She was literally a force of nature when angered.

"Well, every connected clan and criminal has been fined quite severely. Also, I've been maneuvering the political landscape to help Tsunade when she returns. After all is said and done, none of the clans or advisors should even think of crossing the Hokage like this again. For anything more to happen, Naruto will have to appeal to the Daimyo himself. But that won't be viable until he's aware of his heritage. In the meantime, I'm just keeping things in one piece so there's a village for the brat to return to." Honestly, there was not much more he could do without painting a target on the wandering group.

Sharing a look, both Elder Toads looked less than amused. "That almost seems insignificant when the scope of the crime is taken into account. Not only did those fools abuse a mere child, they threatened the stability of the Yondaime's seal! Regardless, this whole mess could have much more far reaching consequences than is currently apparent." Blinking, Jiraiya focused on the two sages in confusion. Had he missed something?

Pa Toad pointed his finger right in the ninja's face. "Regardless if Tsunade-chan is teaching the child right now, you marked him as your student with the Toad Summoning Jutsu and the Rasengan. Since the prophecy of our Sensei is still in effect, Naruto-chan has the potential to be the world's savior or destroyer! With that in mind, which do you think is more likely for a child so badly abused?" Gaping at the two, Jiraiya had to force himself not to laugh. Naruto as the child of prophecy was just plain ridiculous!

Gathering himself, Jiraiya met their ire calmly. "I am also quite angry about Naruto's treatment, but don't worry. If there is anyone who can get him back on track, it's Tsunade-hime. Once things calm down, I'll see if I can't be more of a part of his life, but don't worry too much. Naruto's too much a nice guy to ever bring about the destruction of this world, even if he was the Child of Prophecy. He might make Hokage, but I doubt that the entire world will stop spinning for the brat." Of course, his attempt at good cheer was met with a strike to the forehead.

Grumbling, Pa Toad looked down at his former student. "Don't be so cavalier about this Jiraiya-chan! Sensei said that one of your students would change the world for either the better or the worse. Out of all the ninja you have trained, Naruto-chan is the only one left! We'll leave this in your hands, but do not underestimate the potential importance of the boy! One day, he could very well shake the heavens, so be prepared to do what is necessary! Now return to Konoha before something else goes wrong!" Mighty perturbed, the Toad Sage dismissed himself back to Konoha with more questions than answers.

-----

Authors Notes

Well, that took longer than expected -_-;;;

I'm again sorry for the delay. I had planned on finishing this by the weekend, but unfortunately I've been fighting some sort of head cold since Saturday. Every time I get sick, my brain feels like mush and writing is impossible. Between that and the slight burn out of such an extensive chapter last time, it took a while to get my head on straight.

As always, thanks so much for all the positive feedback from the Back In Konoha Experiment. I've been constantly adapting the format as time progresses, and this intentional separation of Team Tsunade scenes from Konoha scenes was one of the more interesting ones. I doubt I'll do it again anytime soon, but it was an interesting contrast.

Oh and see! I included Chouji just as I foreshadowed! I hope that makes his fans happy, even if he came off a bit darker than I really wanted. Part of the fun here is that things will continue to go downhill in Konoha, so I have to keep coming up with interesting methods of facilitating this. It's actually getting a bit challenging.

Now then, on to the next chapter!

As any teenager can tell you, relationships are complicated. Just imagine how bad it gets when said teens are trained in assassination. Stay tuned!


	28. Fun in the Sun!

No I don't own Naruto. Given the amount of property damage, I'd never be able to afford the insurance.

Chapter Twenty Five: Fun in the Sun!

Resting at the edge of the woods, Hinata enjoyed the gentle sea breeze. Months in the misty highlands of Bird Country, the lush plains of Vegetable Country and various forests across the land made the giant body of water a welcome change of pace. Growing up in Konoha, she had long since grown used to the presence of excessive vegetation. But watching the sunlight catch on the surf brought a smile to the girl's face. Maybe she could convince Naruto to go swimming together? She had to start being bold sometime, and Hana's teasing was beginning to make her nervous.

Hearing Tsunade-sensei clear her throat, the young Kunoichi cringed. After months of training with the woman, she was more than aware what that particular tone entailed. Looking at the sudden and vicious grin, Hinata gulped. "Alright Naruto and Hinata, I want you to drop your packs. We've only been traveling for a few hours, and I would hate to waste such a golden opportunity. Join me on the water for a new training exercise!" Sighing, Hinata followed the command and joined the energetic blondes on the water. Watching Naruto's antics she felt an eye twitch coming on. Was there any sort of training that made Naruto cringe? If she did not know better, she would think that he would jump off a cliff in the name of getting stronger!

Standing on the water with the ease of experience, Tsunade began directing them in a series of simple stretching exercises. Finishing up, the blonde got into a ready stance. "Alright, I think that it's time to properly evaluate how far you two have come. So I want you both to attack me with only Taijutsu and water walking until I say you can stop." Grinning darkly, the elder Kunoichi formed her fists, cracking every knuckle in the process. "Are you ready?"

Matching her smirk, Naruto-kun also got into position. "Are you sure about this, Baa-chan? I mean, between me and Hinata-chan that's a whole lot of awesome! Won't that be a bit much for you to handle?" While Hinata fought down a blush about her apparent awesomeness, she shuffled nervously on the water's surface. Tsunade-sensei was a strong Kunoichi, but her temper was scarier than anything her father was capable of. She really did not want to fight her teacher when the woman was angry. She had too much to do before she died!

Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade snorted. "Don't get cocky brat. I'll be the first to admit that you've come along farther than I thought so far, but there's still a lot of work to do! So far we've kept it down to one-on-one tutoring and conditioning. This is a chance to show how much your teamwork has improved. So impress me, or be prepared to kick the tree until you bleed!"

Frowning, Naruto-kun growled under his breath. "So that's how you want to play. Well then, we'll just have to kick your flabby butt! Come on Hinata-chan let's show Baa-chan what we can really do!" Sighing at the upcoming pain, Hinata formed her own aggressive stance. This was probably going to hurt, but the young Kunoichi could not let the blonde down. Launching herself at Tsunade-sama, Hinata firmed her determination. Win or lose, she would give it her all!

-----

As a genius of the Hyuga clan, Neji had always assumed that he understood how those around him worked. With his Byakugan, he could seek out both enemies and deception with equal vigor, being recognized as the most successful wielder of the kekkei genkai in generations. Therefore, the young man had certain expectations that he believed should be met. Although his belief in fate had been tempered after his battle with Uzumaki Naruto, Neji still sought out patterns in both behavior and lifestyle that allowed him to so accurately read the potential of ally and enemy alike. Yet, upon his departure from the Hyuga clan, many such assumptions and predictions had been rendered useless much to his growing irritation.

His first assumption was that he would be one of many Branch Members to leave the Hyuga Clan. After all, there was nothing really stopping them from approaching Jiraiya-sama for his counter-seal and it was only logical that others would seek freedom to the same degree. To his shock, none of the other Hyuga sought to discard their names or servitude. Instead, the strongest bought into the Elder's trap, fighting one another for position and power. The weaker members simply maintained the status quo, apparently content in their servitude.

Watching family who had previously held only hatred for the Main house strutting around after gaining their position left him feeling sick. Had the Branch House really chafed under their yoke, or where they simply dissatisfied that they were not the ones in control? He had always thought that the years of hardship and pain would make the lower house more respectful of the pain of others. Yet, once given the chance, they almost reveled in their efforts to destroy the competition for power. No matter the reason, this new brutality of the Hyuga left him feeling cold.

Another expectation had been the temporary status as Tenten's roommate. It had not been long before Team Gai had begun taking missions once again. Following his Sensei's belief in hard work, they had already completed nearly ten C-rank missions within the month. All were low level C-ranks, mostly confined to the village, but that was still a reasonable amount of money. With careful frugality, Neji thought he would be able to move out within another ten missions or so.

What he had not foreseen was the reaction of Tenten's landlord to his presence. The recent invasion, coupled with rumors of several significant accounts being frozen had severely weakened the village economy. It had only really begun to get bad once the mandated recovery surplus from the Fire Lord for redevelopment had run out. Suddenly, shop keepers were forced to inflate their prices on goods just to break even. For the first time since the wars, civilians were out of work, with funds needed to maintain their standard of living appropriated for the security and stability of the ninja forces. Therefore, many businesses that focused on ninja gear were forced to boost their prices, since the ninja where the only ones consistently bringing in money.

As a result once the landlord had discovered that Tenten was effectively subletting space for him to stay in, her rent was raised significantly. Although he had offered to leave and camp out in the woods, Gai-sensei had rejected his plan. Apparently squatting was against the ninja conduct rules due to the difficulty of locating personnel during a crisis. He had then offered to once again put the young man up in his own apartment. Seeing his disturbed appearance, Tenten had graciously vetoed his moving plans, much to Neji's relief. However, in the end Neji was forced to contribute significant portions of his mission pay to offset the difference and could not save enough funds to gain proper independence.

Of course, thoughts of Tenten led him to the final surprise since gaining his emancipation. Having worked for a long period of time with the girl, Neji had expected living with his teammate to simply be a closer version of their camping trips. However, setting a watch and cleaning out a fire pit was nothing like coordinating with a proper roommate. Tenten has insisted upon a clear division of labor, throwing Neji into the deep end. As a warrior of the Hyuga Clan, he had simply trained and protected the village. But as a clan-less Genin of Konoha, Neji had to take out the garbage, clean the floors, and any other number of menial labors previously beneath his station. It was a shocking experience.

Looking over the overpriced produce, Neji sighed. He had drawn cooking duty for the evening, and was just getting into the idea of food shopping. Haggling down prices instead of using a clan discount was a jarring experience, and the price gouging was outrageous! He did not even need his doujutsu to see that this was highway robbery. Trials like this made him wonder if freedom was all it was cracked up to be.

-----

Watching her fellow blonde throw another punch, Tsunade jumped lightly to the side. Undeterred, the laughing Chunin simply bounced off the water behind her to launch a kick. Feeling the shift in the air currents, she allowed her control to slip, dipping beneath the surface slightly before flinging her opponent into the air with a careful finger flick. Landing roughly on the surf, Naruto somehow maintained the control to treat the water's surface as solid, before getting up to go again. Observing yet another example of the younger ninja's stamina, Tsunade sighed. Even as a Sannin, she would never want to get into a war of attrition with someone who could spar all out for six hours straight. "All right, that's enough. Let's go join the others on the beach." Breathing deeply, the younger ninja was quick to agree.

Looking at the prone figures lying prone on the sand, the Hokage winced. Hinata had managed to work on the exercise for nearly two hours before being forced to rest. Undeterred, she had Shizune take the younger girl's place. However, even with her superior control, the medic had quite a bit less experience working with Naruto cooperatively. Between the lost energy to compensate and the constant miss-coordination, her first apprentice was forced to halt after only an hour. Frustrated that the kid still was not even breathing hard, Tsunade had ordered Hana to try. However, without her canine partners, the Inuzuka's effectiveness was significantly decreased, and she barely maintained her progress for thirty minutes. Therefore, it had only her and Naruto on the surface of the water for nearly half of the exercise, and she was beginning to feel it before him. That was downright scary.

Stretching out a bit, she turned to the most recovered of her companions. "Alright Hinata, I want you to set up a fire pit while I get some fresh water. We don't need someone catching a cold after getting soaked all day. Naruto, why don't you clean up in that stream we passed earlier? You've been working the longest, and could probably use it the most." Grinning, the young boy rushed to follow her commands, which she honestly could not blame. After all, even if he had stayed on the surface of the water, the salt in the air was bound to get uncomfortable after a while.

Once everyone had cleaned up, settled in front of the fire, and begun to eat, Tsunade decided that it was time to talk. "I bet you're all curious about that little demonstration out there? After all, we're tired, hungry, and just spent hours moving at high speed before getting here. Why would such a spar be a good idea?" Noting the curious looks that everyone sported, she grinned. At least they had waited for the practice to be finished before asking.

Grabbing a grilling fish, the master medic took a bite before answering. "Well, here's the thing. Jiraiya's little introduction letter for Hana had a bit more information than I mentioned. Apparently, a lot of villages have heard about our group, and are mobilizing some sort of response. That means that we're going to have to be much more careful from now on. Most of our training has focused upon personal tutoring and specialization. However, now that the perspective enemy list has gone up so badly, we're going to have to work together."

Frowning, Naruto nodded his acceptance. "Teamwork can overcome the strongest opponent right? If the enemy is stronger, then you have to work together better. The only way to stay safe is to rely upon your comrades and have them rely upon you. At least, that's the sort of thing that Kakashi-sensei usually said." The resulting silence from his proclamation felt a little awkward, but the words made sense, despite the original source.

Coughing to break the building tension, Tsunade smirked at her subordinates. "Well, now that we're clear on the subject, I believe that some teamwork exercises are in order. Therefore, every morning for the next few days, we're going to do this all over again. So let's get to bed and get ready for another busy day!" Noting the pained expressions on Hana, Shizune, and Hinata's faces Tsunade held back a cackle of glee. That was one of the best perks of being a Sensei!

-----

Trudging towards the training grounds, Tenten stifled a sigh. The last couple of weeks had been both enlightening and irritating in any number of ways. As an orphan, she had been forced to work and live alone for most of her life. Her time in the orphanage was brief, and even when she had been surrounded by so many others, the young Kunoichi had kept to herself. She was too much of a tomboy for the little girls and too brash for the civilian boys. Her team was the closest thing she had to a family, and she cherished every moment, no matter how embarrassing it could become. But nothing in her life had prepared her for life as Neji's roommate!

Honestly, she had not expected much of a shock. The boy was one of the few people she spent most of the day with anyways, so what were a few more hours? Heck, even some of the admiration she had for the guy had leaked into her dreams, giving her some very interesting fantasies involving a hot tub, loin cloths and chocolate sauce. Hey, she was a growing girl, and with all that talk of the flames of youth, she had to find some way of coping. Visually undressing her male teammates was just a simple little vice. It was not her fault that Gai-sensei mandated such tight uniforms. Heck, if even one of those little dreams had come through, then the issues with the landlord would not have bothered her at all!

No, the thing that was so irritating was the sheer ineptness that Neji demonstrated outside of the battlefield! The Hyuga had limited his scope to encompass only fighting and the standard ninja skills. The idea of even cleaning his messes seemed to be seen as too demeaning or degrading. Now that he was expected to perform chores or manage his own life gave the boy this constantly bewildered look that would be hilarious if it did not make her want to scream. If he was such a genius, then why the hell was the trash schedule so beyond his ability to understand? It was enough to make her want to rip her hair out!

Teeth gritting at the memory, Tenten resisted the urge to start playing with a kunai. The difficulty with the rent and adjusting to standard life she could deal with, but the shower was the last straw! He had spent nearly an hour in there just this morning, trying to get his hair in order! Not only did that take away all the hot water, it was driving her utility bills through the roof! His little explanations concerning the Hyuga private baths where nearly enough to have her bite rocks and spit sand. He was going to adjust to normal living, or she would start stabbing him repeatedly.

Trying to get her temper under control, the young woman sighed deeply. A lot of this really was not Neji's fault. He had been trained exclusively as a tool of the Main House Hyuga, and any function outside of that role was beyond his understanding. As his teammate, she would insure that he would be fully trained in the standards of normal life, no matter what effort was required! In the meantime, she would start her training, vent appropriately, and proceed home where her new roommate should have a nice dinner waiting for her. That could not be too far beyond him, right? I mean, how hard could it be to follow a recipe? Ignoring the first stirrings of ice across her spine, Tenten began to throw at the targets.

-----

Trudging down the road, Tsunade smiled at the signs of civilization. After nearly a week of nonstop teamwork exercises, the Sannin felt that they would be able to adjust to one another's fighting styles. Unfortunately, just as they were about to make some real progress, Shizune had pointed out that their supplies had begun to run low. Checking a map, she was thankful to discover that there was a trading port not to far too the south, so the group had packed their camp and proceeded to head out. Honestly, after weeks in the wild training, the chance to get a drink and kick up her heals was very attractive to the weary blonde.

Looking over her fellow ninja, she suppressed a wince. The only one that still looked halfway energetic was Naruto. Everyone else was clearly tired, cranky, and worn to the bone. Taking their pace into account, it was no wonder that even Hinata-chan's little smile was a bit forced. Given the potential threats, they really should not stay in a particular place for too long, but she had no problem with a minor vacation. They could afford a couple of days off in town, before heading out to the next location in-land. Honestly, her apprentices would get better control practice on the interior rivers than the ocean anyways.

The Hokage was shaken from her musings when Naruto cleared his throat. Turning, she was almost shocked by how nervous the kid looked. It was actually rather adorable. "Hey, Baa-chan? Is there any chance that I could get some of my money now? This is the first time that we've been in a normal town, and I kind of need to get a few things." Looking over his tattered clothes, Tsunade suppressed another wince. Yeah, they could all probably use some new gear. Besides their times hidden in various royal chambers, the group had been mostly living off the land. Right now it almost looked like they were attacked by animals.

Then noticing his subtle glances at Hinata, the elder blond smirked. He did owe the girl a date, did he not? Of course, nothing in this sleepy little place really constituted a date, but some practice might help him out a bit. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you take Hinata-chan along to help you pick out some new supplies? Then you can take a break and grab a bite to eat. The rest of us will gather information on the locals and find out if there's anything that we need to worry about. How does that sound?" Seeing his face light up, she hid a smirk. Of course, since they were technically in enemy territory until proven otherwise, she would have to arrange some backup. At the very least to catch embarrassing stories she could use on the two later.

Calling Shizune over, she explained that Naruto needed access to his funds to restock. Hearing about the little practice date, the smiling brunette could not open the storage scroll fast enough. Watching that pile of cash, Tsunade almost lunged out of habit. If not for the presence of the Hokage Emergency Slush fund that she had unofficially taken, she just might of anyways. "Now this is your money kid but save as much as you can. Who knows when you'll get access to this much again?" Baring his official inheritance, but that issue should not come up for a while. Nodding, Naruto carefully grabbed a stack of bills, before allowing Shizune to reseal the funds.

Crossing a hill, they took a moment to admire the scenery. The little costal hub barely even constituted the designation of country. However, with its financial independence from shipping and strong tourist industry during the summer months, it was just nice enough to stay in without worrying about the quality of the food or lodging. Taking a deep breath, Tsunade smiled. "Ah, just look at that. Sea Country is just as relaxed as I remember." Happy at the sight of civilization, the group headed down to some well deserved rest and relaxation.

-----

Carrying the bags of produce, Neji maintained his calm even while mentally swearing the whole way home. Without the Hyuga clan discount, the inflated prices for produce had taken a toll on the food budget. Although he had tried to argue the rates down a bit, he simply lacked the skills required to properly identify problems that would constitute a discount. In fact the only times he had ever gone shopping before was with Hinata-sama, usually when she was practicing a particularly difficult special dish for her traditional marriage training. Of course that was the one field where the girl seemed to excel, and with her mild demeanor and position she rarely had to debate with a single stall owner.

Still, it was not a total disaster. Despite the recent economic downturn, some of the dry food stores where more than willing to offer special rates for a normal ninja. Most of their supplies lasted months, so they were not as concerned with the issue of restocking. He would have to make a note to mention it to Tenten when it was her turn to shop. If they were not careful, ninja ration bars would be the only thing on the menu in the field or at home.

Starting up the stairs, Neji sighed. Managing a proper food budget was much more complicated that he expected. Not only did you have to remember what was already available in the pantry, but he had to plan out day's worth of meals in advance. That by itself was not too bad, but when you took into account the different calculations for freshness versus price with the occasional mission thrown in, ninja shopping was practically a test of infiltration. Of course since his team focused more on direct combat, he was less than prepared for such a challenge. He could only hope that they would be able to use all the ingredients without anything spoiling due to a long term assignment. After all, there was a reason most of the upper level ninja limited themselves to takeout and the like.

Upon entering the apartment, he moved directly towards the kitchen. He had wasted more than anticipated trying to find the best deals, and Tenten had made a certain number of threats if there was no meal waiting for her when she returned. While he was confident that the Kunoichi was kidding, Neji knew that he could simply not risk it. Avoiding the use of his kekkei genkai through long held habits, Neji looked around before opening the produce bag. However, instead of food, the first thing he removed was a simple cook book obtained from the library. He would never live it down if someone else saw his level of paranoia concerning his first culinary experience.

After all, he was the number one rookie of his graduating class was he not? If someone like Tenten, Hinata-sama, or even Naruto could live on their own and manage their own meals for years, then Neji had no doubts of his success. Between the mind that derived the nature of the Kaiten through observation to his meticulous observation of the slightest detail, how hard could cooking really be? Opening the first page, the Genin began to decode its pages with all possible speed. He would prove that he could survive without the Hyuga, even if it resulted in some indigestion!

-----

Stepping out of the store, Naruto resisted the urge to pout. While the shopping district was rather nice, years of independent living had conditioned him to seek out the best deal he could find. Discovering his trademarked outfit for half off was one of the high points of his shopping career, even though the shopkeeper had attempted to rescind the discount at the register. Unfortunately, the most reasonable of the available clothing stores had a distinct lack of orange. Any pieces that had the color, Hinata had vetoed due to lack of durability or proper room for him to grow. Between all his extra physical conditioning and controlled dieting, Naruto had begun a small growth spurt, and many things simply would not fit him anymore.

Mindful of this, Hinata had gone into a flurry of shopping to replace all his worn out materials. It was not ideal since Sea Country did not have a proper ninja village, and most of the choices lacked the special armor or hidden pockets that ninja wear usually had. Nevertheless, the normally shy girl ignored Naruto's grumbling and used him as a human doll. In what seemed like hours later, she had managed to get him nearly ten different outfits of reasonable quality and enough material to make some of the sneakier modifications herself. When questioned, she claimed that sewing was a part of her official training, despite her station. Although the black, blue and red outfits did look pretty nice, he was going to miss his signature look.

Remembering just how much money he had, the blonde had offered to replace some of Hinata's gear as well. As much as he appreciated some of the more strategic battle damages the girl's clothing had suffered, he knew that most females enjoyed looking nice. Therefore, since Hinata was being so helpful, it only seemed right to treat her a bit. While his reasoning made her blush, his fellow apprentice was quick to take advantage of the situation. Another four hours passed before everything was chosen, tried on, and ready to ring out. The price made him wince, but in all honesty it was just a drop in the ocean of his current finances. Besides, what else was he going to use the money on right now? After leaving the store, Naruto took out a storage scroll to hide their purchases. After all, there was no reason to lug all that stuff around if they could help it, was there?

Mindful of Tsunade's warning, both Chunin decided to try and keep a low profile. Naruto changed out of his ninja gear, only holding onto a couple of kunai and some wire. With his new jutsu, available weapons would not be an issue for a while. Changing into a pair of heavy black pants, his normal sandals, and a dark blue t-shirt with blue bandana to cover his hair, the young ninja looked like a completely different person. Hinata was even more careful, purchasing a sun hat to cover her hair and sun glasses to cover up the Byakugan, to go along with her new white sundress. When Naruto had first seen her in such a form fitting outfit, her slightly longer hair drifting in the breeze, he suddenly felt a little shaky. Gathering his courage, he offered an arm, and soon they were simply two civilians out enjoying the nice day.

However, walking along like a couple made him very nervous. They could not do what they normally did, which was talk about ninja techniques and how their training was going, without ruining their attempts of blending in. Naruto had lived, breathed and thought of nothing other than ninjas and their lifestyle for over a decade. Once you took that away, there did not seem to be anything else to speak about. He tried to simply enjoy the feeling of Hinata on his arm, which was pleasant, but Naruto was not the sort to simply enjoy the silence. Surprisingly, it was Hinata who started things off, idly mentioning how the flowers in the market looked nice.

He was not sure how it happened, but Naruto began to simply be his energetic self. This was not his best behavior to catch Sakura's attention, nor was it empty bravado to impress his peers. Naruto just tried to value what she was talking about, and respond in kind. Flowers led to plants which the blonde actually enjoyed quite a bit. Small animals tended to avoid him or lash out just like people. But plants only cared about you as much as you tended them. He was not a very good gardener, but he tried as best as he could. Unfortunately, with no one willing to take care of them during his missions, he had been forced to plant them in the wild. In return, Hinata expanded upon the private gardens of the Hyuga that she enjoyed when she was younger. Her descriptions and surprising passion on the subject made him grin. Of course, her habit of pressing flowers was a little morbid in his opinion, but such is life.

Before they knew it, the sun was high and their stomachs where grumbling. Heading towards the restaurant district, Naruto was disheartened at the selection of ramen stands. Much to Hinata's apparent surprise, he directed them to a takoyaki stand instead. When she questioned his choice, Naruto began explaining the details and intricacies of what they would get in such a substandard stand. Over the course of three orders of octopus balls and a pot of tea, the young Chunin regaled her with every detail that was wrong with the stands. These included such things as the type of noodles to the smell of the broth. With Hana's sensory training, he knew better than to even set foot in such a low class place. Smiling, Hinata simply allowed him to control the flow of conversation while sipping her tea. At the end of his little tirade, she patted his hand and stated his knowledge was most impressive. The feeling of being humored brought a pout to his face, causing the girl to giggle.

Upon leaving the stand, Hinata once again on his arm, Naruto felt pretty good. He had new clothing, had managed to open up more to his friend, and had even gotten some practice for a proper date! After so much time training and running, the Chunin had not appreciated just how stressed out he was becoming. A chance to unwind a bit was just what the doctor had ordered, and he would do his best to follow through with this prescription. In fact the day was almost perfect, until a shout shattered their peace. "Get out of here you FREAK!" Tensing, Naruto quickly picked up what was going on.

Near the end of the street was a poorer section of shops and buildings, dominated by a large fish market. A small crowd of punks, none more than sixteen years old, had cornered a thin figure in front of one of the shabbiest stalls. From what he could see, it was a thin girl, partially covered by bandages. Lessons slammed into his head noted that she did not seem to be in pain from the wounds, and only looked slightly malnourished. One of the small gang had knocked a bag of food from her hands while the others loomed threateningly. Motioning for Hinata to follow, the suddenly angry blonde started stalking towards the disturbance.

The tallest and bulkiest of the punks loomed over the figure, cracking his knuckles. "I don't know how you came back, but we don't want you here! You're nothing but bad luck, and should just disappear." None of the villagers moved to help, and the girl stayed down, apparently resigned to her fate. However, before another punch could be thrown Naruto had grabbed his arm in a dangerously firm grip.

"Why don't you guys leave the poor girl alone? All she's trying to do is buy some food!" The larger punk tried to glare at his interference, but the young Chunin would have none of that. He released a small amount of killing intent into his glare, freezing the kid on the spot. These guys might be tough for civilians, but even without his weapons or headband, Naruto was a ninja through and through. One look in his eyes, and the punk could not leave fast enough.

Turning to the girl, the knucklehead smiled as Hinata helped gather the spilled groceries. Leaning forward, Naruto offered his brightest smile. "Hi, are you ok Miss? Do you need any help? One of our friends is a healer, and could probably take a look at your injuries." Looking at his extended hand, the quiet girl stood up, took her bag from Hinata and walked away. Normally, Naruto would have gone after her with a vengeance. However, he had seen that look before and knew it would not do any good. "Come on Hinata-chan; let's go find Baa-chan." Suddenly gloomy, the two Chunin trudged back to the hotel in silence, grasping each other's hand for mutual support.

-----

Staring at the stove, Neji nodded in determination. He had taken exquisite care to memorize every step of the dish, and had made a point of preparing the individual ingredients before even starting the range. This was not the most advanced dish available in the book, but he believed that it was more than adequate for his purposes. At the very least, it should be better than the standard ration bar. Putting the pot of water down, he turned on the burner. He still had one or two small steps of preparation to do and he wanted to make absolutely sure everything was in place.

At first there was no problem. His careful planning had paid off, and he managed to start a basic broth without issue. Confident in his success, the Genin allowed his attention to drift a bit. Why, with all of his preparation there was no way this could be less than perfection! It should be noted that, while a former disciple of fate, Neji was completely unaware of its cousin Murphy. As he was about to learn, anything that could go wrong, was about to go wrong in spades.

The first problem was noted halfway through the preparation of the sauce. Taking a sip, the young ninja nearly gagged at the taste. Looking over the recipe carefully, he winced at a previously unnoticed smudge. Instead of adding a quarter teaspoon of salt, he had managed to at four tablespoons. The difference was so severe that he knew Tenten would kill him for putting it on the table. Something had to be done at once!

Thinking that adding more water might cut the taste down a bit, Neji was quick to add some. Unfortunately, in his haste some spilled onto the burner causing the fire to flare up, nearly causing him to knock the pot over. However, he would not be thwarted so easily! As a ninja of Konoha, this dish WOULD be cooked no matter what! Taking a deep breath, he took another taste only to frown. Now the flavor was too weak, but he did not dare add any more salt. He was running out of time and needed to finish before Tenten came back. His pride would allow nothing less!

Remembering a suggestion from the book, he grabbed a couple of vegetables and proceeded to chop them after a quick rinse. The extra flavor of the chopped vegetables should enrich the broth, while offsetting any additional salt. He would have to do some extra shopping later, it would be worth it to get tonight s dinner on the table! In his determined state, Neji neglected to moderate his strength as much as he normally did. As a result, the cheep kitchen knife chipped, before slicing his finger.

Swearing, he ran over to the sink, washing out the wound before grabbing a bandage from the first aid kit. However, in his haste to deal with the cut, Neji neglected to turn down the stove. By the time he had finished, the pot had proceeded to boil over across the stove top. Seeing the sudden smoke, the young novice chef grabbed a towel to grab the pot off the heat. That was the perfect opportunity for the towel to catch on fire, injuring him further. Grabbing for the stove control, he managed to turn off the range before throwing the towel into the sink. That of course was the perfect time for the fire alarm to start blaring.

-----

In one of the shadier alleys of Sea Country, two figures were discussing recent events. Pushing his dark glasses up in irritation, the taller man glared at his partner. "Alright Misumi, what's the big deal? That little fish brat has done nothing to alert the local authorities since her release months ago, so why are you suddenly so frantic? It's not like you." Although they could not really stand one another, the life of a missing ninja was fraught with peril and death. Konoha had been sniffing around for them ever since the invasion and neither wanted to be put in front of Ibiki for his true specialty. Thus, when Kabuto had contacted them with this assignment, they could not move fast enough. Still, it was irritating to have to play babysitter to some stupid prototype.

Smirking, Misumi chuckled darkly. "You'll never guess who the kid ran into while trying to pick up food this afternoon." Licking his lips, the slighter Genin relaxed against a wall. "There was another incident with a bunch of stupid civilians, and low and behold the fox kid comes to the rescue. I barely recognized him without that orange monstrosity but those whiskers never lie. He had the pint sized Hyuga with him on a quaint little date. You know what that means for us."

Grinning savagely, Yoroi slammed his fist next to the more flexible ninja, breaking the stone. "It means that we have a shot of getting Orochimaru-sama's favor again! Our intelligence states that those punks are traveling with Tsunade and the bounty on their heads is huge! We could finally get out of this dinky little country and get some real action!" His violence did not bother Misumi, despite his apparent target. Each needed the other to survive, and doing anything to threaten that was just as bad a putting a kunai to their own throats.

Crossing his arms, Misumi sighed. "It does open all sorts of opportunities, does it not? However we need to be careful. Tsunade is a Sannin while the brat is a Jinchuuriki. Who knows what sorts of tricks he's managed to learn lately? Word is that somehow that idiot learned the Rasengan. He should not be taken lightly. Besides, if we take them down, only to threaten our operation here, you know Kabuto would take it out of our hides."

Snorting, Yoroi folded his arms in disgust. "You and I both know that Orochimaru-sama doesn't care about that idiot Amachi. He just lets the bastard play around because he finds it amusing." Rubbing his chin, the ninja growled. "Still, there are some sensitive experiments running that Orochimaru-sama would hate to lose. What do you think we should do about this?"

Patting his shoulder, the leaner ninja was all smiles. "Oh, I think that they'll come to us. After all, everyone who paid attention in the village knew that Naruto could not help but try to rescue those in danger. Once the rumors about the Demon Islands reach him, I bet the whole group comes running. At the very least, the milder ones will perk Tsunade's interest. Once they come for us, we'll outnumber them and have home field advantage. Then Amachi's little pet can wash them out to sea before dragging their corpses back for study. What do you think?"

Looking up, Yoroi bit his lip. "It's a little simple, but what the hell." Heading towards the coast, they made their way back to base. An operation like this was going to be tricky, but they had a reasonable chance of success. With their allies and abilities, the sea was their playground. If the Konoha were dead or captured, Orochimaru-sama would be pleased either way!

-----

Climbing the stairs Tenten allowed herself to relax after a long and satisfying day at the target range. After throwing most of her arsenal at nearly ninety percent accuracy with her recent practice modifications, she felt satisfied at her current rate of progress. Now, instead of coming home to a ration bar or instant meal, there was going to be a proper hot dinner waiting to eat. Smirking at Neji's reaction to her casual handling of her weapons, the young Kunoichi wondered how much more she could get away with before he called her on it. Perhaps she could convince him to lose the shirt during service or something. Before she could properly zone out to the resulting mental image, the smell or smoke reached her nose. Something was wrong.

Rushing into the apartment, she followed her nose into the kitchen and had to fight back a grimace. The room was filled with black smoke, coming from her stove and a spilled bottle of cooking wine. Neji was running around like a madman covered in soot, blood, and various foodstuffs. Honestly, the image would be hilarious if she was not the one responsible for the apartment. Grabbing a fire extinguisher, she proceeded to coat the kitchen and hapless cook with fire retarding foam. The end result looked like something out of Snow Country, if not for the horrible odor and blinking ninja genius.

Looking down on Neji, Tenten did not know what to think. All she did was trust the kid to make dinner. She herself had cooked her own meals since she left the orphanage as a prospective ninja student. Yet this guy, someone she admired as among the strongest of their generation, did not even seem capable of boiling water without setting himself on fire. It was mind blowing. "Alright Neji, why is my kitchen on fire? I mean, what the hell did you try to make that caused all of this?"

Wiping some of the foam out of his hair, Neji sighed. "Everything seemed to be working when I started out. But then I added too much salt and it tasted horrible. So then I attempted to adjust the recipe, yet nothing seemed to go right. I think that my hair caught on fire after the second attempt to disconnect the fire alarm." Despite the trashed room, ruined dinner and obliteratedappearance, Neji still managed to deliver his report in a clipped tone while eyeing her weapons holster. Seeing this, Tenten could only laugh.

Going over to the closet, she grabbed a mop. "Ok Neji, here's what we're going to do. We are going to clean this mess up, salvage what we can, and each grab a short shower. You should probably cut off your hair later, but I'm too tired to deal with that right now. Then, you are going to take me to get some food and we are going to come back here and fall asleep. Are we clear?" Nodding, Neji grabbed the mop with a resigned sigh.

"Oh, and Neji?" Looking up, he seemed shocked at the fire in her eyes. Well tough shit, this mess was coming out of her security deposit. "I am never letting you cook unsupervised in this place until I think you are ready, say around when you turn thirty. Are we crystal?" Gulping, Neji nodded while getting to work on the mess. Realizing that she just asked Neji to move in with her semi-permanently Tenten could only laugh and join in. He was so going topless for the next month after this!

-----

Authors Notes

...and done!

I will admit that I was not really happy with this chapter. I tried to polish it over and over again, but nothing seemed to work. One of the goals I set for myself is stretching my abilities in any number of ways. Unfortunately, the comedy didn't seem to flow any better than this, despite my best efforts. However, after some hesitation, I decided that everyone had waited long enough. So please don t be too rough on me -_-;;;

Thanks again for the reviews, and I am sorry that I didn't directly reply as much as I wanted to. Things just went kind of nuts this week. (Coupled with my discovery of a new series Fairy Tail, which was very distracting) However, I do appreciate all the well wishing, and always enjoyed reading your responses. Now on to my favorite questions!

Firstly, the reason that Chouza didn't simply explain the night of the Scroll Incident. Claiming it was an isolated incident would not explain WHY he had always told Chouji to avoid Naruto as a child. As someone who was looked down upon by his peers, Chouji is rather sensitive to on the topic, and would see through any misdirection fairly quickly. Besides, Chouza didn't want to damage his relationship with his son further by attempting a direct lie he would probably have to live up to later.

Although, let me take this opportunity to admit I was shocked at how many people liked my attempt to write a moody Chouji. Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to go so well, and am glad you liked it. I still don't plan on using him that much, but it's nice to know the option is there if I so choose.

Secondly, I'm sorry about mixing up my kunai techniques. It was an honest mistake and I ll keep an eye out for it in the future. -_-;;;

Thirdly, I do plan to showcase some trouble for the civilians later on. As shown here, things are beginning to go downhill in the village, but like all good momentum, it takes time to build up.

Fourthly, the reason Naruto got the scent trick to quickly was that he was already doing something like it subconsciously. Once his full range of senses was unsealed, he was forced to regulate his sense of smell unless he liked the smell of garbage a half a mile away. Since it has been demonstrated that a master of these techniques CAN smell something miles away, I don t think having the ability to judge scents from such a limited distance to be anything that impressive. It will only get better with practice.

Fifthly, the clone issue is a little more complex than Tsunade knows, but she's playing it safe. In fact, Naruto can slowly adapt the memories of the Shadow Clone, as long as we re not talking about a thousand at once. However, by pausing between dispersals and integrating the memories, he can accelerate his training. She's just not going to give him too many chances to use that particular technique, fearing the potential brain damage. However, who knows what the future could hold?

Oh and just for fun, I tried to make a little pun with the title of this chapter. I wonder how many people will catch it. (heh)

Now, on to the next chapter! The past can be a dark and depressing place. But in the end, all you need is someone willing to understand. Stay tuned!


	29. Darkness of the Sea

No I don't own Naruto. There are days I question if he's fully house trained.

Chapter Twenty Six: Darkness of the Sea

Taking another sip of her sake, Tsunade mulled over what she had just heard. The bartender had been a little on the chatty side, and seemed utterly focused on the space below her neck. She would probably have taught him some manners, if not for the interesting story he had shared at no additional cost. Despite her stature, the blonde was still a Kunoichi, and understood that a little light flirting could get you more information than a pile of money. Nevertheless, the information was less than pleasant. Who could be leading raids on the Sea Countries gold convoys?

As if mirroring her concerns, Shizune whispered over her own drink. "Tsunade-sama, who do you think could attack those ships? They were in the middle of the ocean, no other ships were in sight, and each claims the attack was done by a monster of some sort. This could be a move by another village to destabilize the country and could drag the Land of Fire into an unwanted war. Perhaps we should contact Jiraiya-sama for a mission to investigate?" Draining her cup, the Hokage reached for another. This was a perfect example of someone outsmarting themselves.

"We can't Shizune. Not only would it reveal our position, but Jiraiya does not have that sort of authority. A little miss-ranking like the incident in Neck Country is one thing, but he'd never get away with sending an appropriate force here without declaring it an A-rank. Since he doesn't have the authority to do that for another couple of months, it could be used as grounds to remove him or forcefully recall us under emergency provisions. Honestly, I would prefer slipping out of the borders before getting involved, but I don't think that's going to happen. We might just have to investigate ourselves. Besides, based upon the other rumors, I might be the only available ninja capable of dealing with whoever is in charge." Ignoring her apprentice's disapproving look, Tsunade continued to sip her drink.

Pouring herself another as well, Shizune scratched Tonton's head. "Are you sure about this Tsunade-sama? I admit that a few people going missing are something to be concerned about, but it is hardly a smoking exploding tag. There could be any number of reasons beside's your former teammate's involvement. Even if someone is using them for experiments, there are other unscrupulous medical or scientific researchers out there." However, to the legendary medic's ears, Shizune's arguments sounded hollow.

"Shizune, as distasteful as it is, you know that Orochimaru has ties to this country. I might like the atmosphere and the bars, but I will never forget that this is where we recovered Anko after he abandoned her. In addition, many of the missing people are small children, and that bastard has a thing for starting young. I don't know why the snake would be stupid enough to restart his operations here, but I for one think that it is a strong possibility that he could be involved." That, and there was a sinking sensation in her stomach like she had just won the lottery. The young brunette could harp on and off about superstition, but this incident stunk of Orochimaru, and she refused to be caught flat-footed.

Before their debate could pick up, another figure approached their table. She was thin, with a light blue civilian dress and dirty red hair. Her face was neither beautiful nor ugly, just an average sort of cuteness. However, the woman's gait gave her away after five steps. Sighing, Tsunade pinched her nose. "Aren't you supposed to be shadowing the happy couple right about now?"

Looking around, the woman made a quick hand seal. With a poof of smoke, Hana stood before them in all her feral glory. "I've got my partners looking out for them. However, something happened so I thought I should report in a quickly as possible." Frowning at the concerned tone in the woman's voice, Tsunade had her take a seat. Better to find out what was up without any distractions, such as sore legs or inquisitive civilians.

-----

Grumbling, Ino hurried towards Anko-sensei's apartment, address loosely griped in her hand. She had been supposed to meet with the woman that morning to go over basic seduction techniques, but the Snake summoner had never shown. It was not unusual for her to miss a practice, given her position and rank, but this was the first time she had neglected to inform Ino beforehand. Honestly, the blonde thought that she got a kick surprising her with summoned snakes spitting up message scrolls at the oddest times. Therefore, she had found Asuma-sensei and gotten the woman's address. She had normal team training in less than an hour, but she wanted to make sure that Anko-sensei was alright.

Looking at the state of the apartment building, Ino suppressed a frown. As a Special Jonin and assistant interrogator, the elder Kunoichi should be making a lot more money than a simple Genin. Yet her apartment was barely two steps above Naruto's in terms of quality. That was really all Anko could afford, even with her better salary? If that was the case, how was she going to move out of her parent's house for real?

Shaking her head, Ino quickly headed towards the designated room number. Knocking quickly, she made a point of backing away to the side. If Anko-sensei was simply sleeping of a hangover or something, it would not be a good idea to get in her direct range. "Sensei? Are you alright in there?" For one long moment, she thought that maybe the older woman was on a mission after all. Then, with the scrapes of locks and chains, the entrance cracked open. The resulting picture was almost enough to make Ino gasp in shock.

Anko-sensei looked horrible! There were bags under her eyes, her face was thick with sweat, and she appeared to be having trouble breathing. The young Genin had never seen her mentor in such a state, and that included her drinking game night with Kurenai-sensei! "Anko-sensei, what happened to you? When you didn't show up for training, I thought you might be out on a mission. But you look like you've been poisoned! Who did this to you?"

Grimacing, the Special Jonin waved off her concerns. "Nah, it's nothing like that. I'm just feeling a little under the weather today. Sorry about missing practice, kid. I'll try to make it up to you once I feel better." Seeing how the normally spry Kunoichi was gripping the door handle for dear life, Ino was less than impressed. Someone as tough as Anko-sensei should not be this weakened by a simple cold. Something bad must have happened.

Gathering her courage, Ino reached for the woman's arm. "You need to get looked at, Sensei! Let me help get you to the hospital and they can check you over." The next minute was a blur for the blonde. One minute she was reaching for Anko-sensei's arm. The next minute, she was flying into the railing in front of her apartment's door.

Looking up in shock, she saw an expression on the other Kunoichi's face she had never expected. The woman was completely and utterly enraged. Then, like a switch being flipped, the anger was gone, replaced by an uncomfortable grimace. "Don't worry about me, kid. I'm fine without going to the medics. I'll just tough it out for a few days and everything will be fine. Now why don't you go bug Asuma for a bit? I need to lie down." Without waiting for a response, Anko closed the door, leaving Ino a mess of confused emotions.

-----

Given the nature of their mission, it was rather foolish to allow the younger members out of sight for too long. However, Hana knew that both kids needed the time alone not only to relax, but also to further understand what could be between them. Therefore, she had not questioned it when Tsunade released the two Chunin to their own devices with the simplest of warnings. Her faith was paid back in full with Tsunade's later orders to trail them to provide backup and gather intelligence on their relationship. Naruto might have grown as a tracker and Hinata's doujutsu had very few flaws, but the Inuzuka had been around for a while. Thus, she knew just how to remain undetected by the relatively green ninja.

Both of her superiors had been initially amused by the report. Honestly, it had been rather sweet. There were not a lot of guys willing to take a girl shopping for fun, which either meant that Naruto was a particularly good catch, or just did not know any better. Honestly, Hinata practically had a blank canvass to work with in terms of training her boyfriend. She was lucky the kid was so much younger, or Hana would have made a play for him herself! Judging from Shizune's reaction to the death of the orange clothes, she would probably have some company.

However, no one was laughing at the described of the confrontation. It was nice that he was a good guy and all, but using raw killing intent on civilians was not a great way to stay under the radar. They were just lucky that he had not bothered with any jutsu. "After the crowd dispersed, I made some light inquiries. According to the local rumor mill, this Isaribi is an orphan. Most of the orphans in Sea Country go to work as fishermen or scrap divers at a fairly young age. Until a few months ago, she was just another hard working young girl making ends meet. But then she went missing on a fishing expedition. A few of her customers tried to find her without any luck. Then about four months later she returned with half her body in bandages. Now everyone thinks she made some sort of deal with the kidnappers, and won't trust her with anything."

Frowning, Tsunade bit her lip. "That is odd. If she was someone's experiment, there's no reason to release her back into the general population unless she had been converted to their side. On the other hand, it could simply be anything from someone's idea of a game to another chance to collect data. If that's the case, our presence could very well be compromised." Taking another sip from her cup, the blonde met her gaze. "Did you notice anyone unusual observing the attack, or anything off about the girl herself?"

Snorting, the Chunin looked off to the side in irritation. "Sorry Tsunade-sama, but there were too many people to notice any possible observers. The girl herself reeked of fish and saltwater, but there were some odd chemical traces I've never dealt with before. Other than the fact her injuries did not seem to be slowing her down or anything, there was not much to go on. Why, do you have any ideas about what we're dealing with?"

Sighing, the Sannin poured her a drink. "The pattern matches something that Orochimaru was involved with around here a few years ago. It is possible that this is simply one of his games or associates. Either way, it would probably be a good idea to track this Isaribi down tomorrow and have a look at her, if for no other reason than medical curiosity. But if she is one of the snake's failed experiments, then she might have valuable information that we could use to deal with him."

Although she thought the plan a little brutal, Hana did not have any major objections. Either the child was a true victim and needed help, or she was a spy that was working for an enemy of Konoha. Information was vital for a ninja, and who was she to question such an efficient plan? Before any further debate could begin, the love birds walked through the door. Smirking, the Inuzuka prepared for some fun. Teasing kids about their crushes was always a laugh!

-----

Sarutobi Asuma could hardly be called a genius when it came to women, a fact that his fellow Jonin and friend Kurenai would be happy to point out to any interested party. But even he knew that something was wrong when the normally energetic Ino started kicking her teammates around like soccer balls. Of course, Chouji could take the damage without any issue while Shikamaru probably did not want to cause any trouble by stopping her. That did not mean that he could simply allow the young Kunoichi to wail on her comrades without cause. After all, both were a little young to start peaking and other such perversions. "Alright, that's enough for today. Shikamaru, you and Chouji get us a table at the grill. Me and Ino have to have a little talk."

Looking at the irritated blonde, the Sensei took a deep and smoke filled breath. He hated confrontations, but Team Ten lived by its teamwork and synergy. So he was better off finding out what had gotten her pissed off without a lot of beating around the bush. "Alright Ino, what the hell is going on? I know that your boys can be a little annoying, but that's no reason to nearly kill them. I don't even think that Shikamaru had a chance to call you troublesome before we started, and that says something."

Looking away, the young Genin's body language screamed frustration and misery. "I went to check on Anko-sensei, and she looked horrible! If I didn't know her, I would have thought someone had poisoned her dango or something. But when I tried to take her to the Hospital, she nearly threw me off her landing and told me to get lost." Sniffing, Ino forced her eyes shut, but he still saw a little bit of moisture. "I just thought that she trusted me enough to help her. All I wanted to do was check on her, but she wouldn't let me!"

Sighing, Asuma debated what to tell her without giving too much away. He only knew of some of the Snake Woman's habits through his acquaintance with Kurenai. He had been out of the village around the time when most of the shit hit the fan for the Special Jonin. While things had improved, what rumors that still floated around indicated a lifestyle similar to the Uzumaki-brat. Anko just tended to fight back more. However, from what he understood, she sometimes got into these moods where the only safe thing was to run. Obviously, Ino had caught her on one of those days, but he could not explain that without more information or violating the trust of a colleague. Perhaps some general advice would be enough to let this die down a bit?

Taking another deep breath of tobacco, Asuma smiled. "You know Ino that level of trust never comes easily for any ninja. Once you get to Jonin level, you'll usually have seen and done so many things that just talking about the weather will become challenging. So if Anko is feeling a little moody, just give her some space and let her open up to you in her own time." Scratching the back of his head, the ninja let some of his sheepishness shine through. "Honestly though, I think you two work very well together. She's made you much stronger than I ever could have managed on my own, and I am proud of your growth." There were just some things that a guy could not show a Kunoichi, no matter how experienced they were.

Brightening under his praise, Ino looked up with new fire in her eyes. "Thanks Asuma-sensei! If Anko-sensei needs time, then I'll give her all she wants! Now let's go eat! I'm not going to drive off vandals on an empty stomach!" Chuckling at her bravado, the Jonin led her towards town and a giant plate of barbeque.

-----

Staring at the closed door, Tsunade gathered her strength. When they had chosen rooms at the Inn, she had decided to place Naruto alone in the middle. Not only would this provide some level of modesty, but the energetic blonde would be in an ideal position to both reinforce and be reinforced if an enemy attacked. Between Hinata's Byakugan and Hana's nose, the entire group felt fairly secure. However, if the average ninja looked underneath the underneath, they would see that she wanted the boy to have some privacy. Months on the road had taught her much about his moods, and she was more than ready for what was coming. That did not make it any less heartbreaking at times. Knocking, the medic entered before locking the door behind her.

If a pervert like Jiraiya had heard about Naruto's excursions into her tent during their journey, she was sure that the resulting fantasy would fill three of his stupid novels. The simple reality was much less glamorous. Naruto had refused to allow his pain to get him down. His inner strength and determination to prove himself had made the blonde both an inspiration and among the most driven person she had ever met. Once the memory and intelligence suppression seals were discovered and countered, not much changed on the surface. Despite his rapidly growing competence and ingenuity, Naruto was still that happy and enthusiastic ninja wanting to be Hokage. But as time passed and his ability to understand his emotions grew, something unexpected happened. Naruto began to have dreams.

Years of suppressed memories were easy for the blonde to ignore when busy with a problem or training. But Naruto's unconscious mind began to feed on his darker experiences, causing horrible nightmares and skittishness. Once she had discovered the problem, Tsunade was unsure about what to do. While the world's best medic, healing the mind was not one of her gifts. In the end, all the Kunoichi could do was offer comfort whenever one of his fits seemed ready to erupt. Hinata, Shizune and more recently Hana were always willing to chat during the day. But whenever the nightmares came, she was the one he turned to. It was the closest to maternal activity she had indulged in since Nawaki died.

Seeing Naruto curled into a ball, Tsunade sighed. No matter how much it hurt, Naruto still refused to cry anymore. From what little she had gathered, it appeared that he had given up the practice at a rather young age. He could get angry, understand how things had been horrible for him, yet crying seemed beyond him. Part of her was glad that he had not changed that much. Another part wished he could find the skill, if only to end this torment. Sitting next to young ninja, she carefully rubbed his scalp. It was the best way she knew to make him relax, and had to be done carefully unless she wanted the boy to lash out. "What's bothering you tonight, Naruto? It was pretty clear that you wanted to kill someone over dinner. Please, let me help you?" This could not be forced, coerced or shamed. The young Chunin needed to realize it was time to talk or nothing would happen.

At first, Naruto refused to be swayed. Luckily experience had taught Tsunade patience, so she simply sat, massaging his scalp. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the younger blonde relaxed and started talking. "When that girl got called a freak, I was so angry. I think that if I had concentrated little more, those jerks would have had heart attacks. But then I would have been the monster, and I never want that. But when I offered her help and she rejected it, I had this thought. What if someone had offered me a hand up earlier after something like that? Would I have accepted it, or would I have thought it was a trick? Then I didn't know what to do except leave to make sure Hinata-chan was safe." With each broken statement, he slowly quieted before dozing off, leaving Tsunade with the simple task of tucking him in.

Looking down at the young face, troubled even in sleep, Tsunade began to fight tears of her own. Here, in the security and safety of some tiny Inn, she allowed herself to feel a fraction of her own self-hatred for his suffering. Some nights the talks would be longer, other nights they would be shorter, but each moment showcased just how far Naruto had come, and how much more was left to go. If she could have simply grown up past her own pain and helped him, how much of this torture could have been avoided? Or would she have allowed others to blind her to his pain, and simply moved on. How both Minato and Kushina must be rolling in their graves!

Each time he opened up, a new story or trial would be revealed. Reading between the lines, it was clear that he simply did not see himself as intelligent. He struggled where others thrived, and every effort was so much more than it should have been. He had to find answers without guidance, other than the scraps he could gather from Sarutobi-sensei, struggling with his artificially induced brain damage. Yet no one read the signs of his suffering or loneliness, or if they did they simply did not care. The only thing to be thankful of was the relatively violence free upbringing. The number of attacks was a statistical anomaly, with the worst period being when that stupid ANBU led him into ambushes involving rotten produce and other such traps.

Petting his hair one more time, Tsunade was relived as the pained expression was replaced by a peaceful slumber. Bending over, she kissed him on the forehead. "Rest up kid; we've got a long day ahead of us." Quickly checking the security tags they had set in the room's corners, Tsunade left, closing the door behind her. Already dreaming about the day's non-date with Hinata-chan, Naruto did not stir a bit.

-----

Hearing a pounding on the door, Anko gripped her skull in agony. Ever since her abandonment by her former Sensei, the young interrogator had occasional bouts of pain and nausea. Most of the symptoms were no worse than a particularly bad night of drinking. Unfortunately, there were times where the experience was nearly blinding in their intensity. After a careful examination by several experts including the Sandaime, it had all been traced back to her curse mark. Like everything else horrible in her current life, Orochimaru was the cause.

The seal and its effects were well documented now, but when she had first returned to Konoha no one had any idea what the damn thing was. She had been held by the ANBU for months before they had managed to properly map the effects, and by then it was far too late. Like a damned parasite, the Curse Seal wormed its way into her chakra pathways, only kept at bay through her own hatred of Orochimaru. After the studies were complete, the assorted medics had determined that attempting a suppression seal on an advanced version of the technique would most likely seal and destroy her own chakra, so she was left without any easy way to fix the problem. The Uchiha brat had no idea how lucky he had been thanks to Kakashi's quick actions.

Again, only the Sandaime had been willing to help her. When sealing techniques failed, he utilized a complex ninjutsu that rendered the major elements of the seal's construction inactive. While far from perfect, it had allowed Anko to return to active service, only to discover she had to work twice as hard to get anywhere. If not for the support she had gotten from certain close friends, she would have probably gone missing ninja years ago. As it was, she had been forced to become larger than life just to get any respect. Only fear of her sadism kept some of the grunts in line. Luckily, with the recent invasion and her actions during it, no one really thought she was a sleeper agent anymore. No, now she just had the image of the scary snake slut to live up to, which could be fun but was honestly more trouble than it was worth.

However no matter how far she came, there were still times where the seal would react beyond her ability to control. Anytime that she was honestly content or happy, or became distracted for even an instant, the seal would attack to remind her of her place. Between the upswings in her recent treatment from colleagues to the fun she was having corrupting Ino-chan, Anko had let her guard down. This pain was just another reminder of her reality and solitude. In all honesty, it would probably be best to cut down on time with the kid, especially after hurting her so badly earlier. She had no choice but to face this pain alone, unless someone else got caught up in her mess. Snorting, she forced herself to get to the door. The Interrogator had to wonder if this is what Uzumaki felt when Mizuki spilled the beans. How could he reveal his burden without hurting his friends?

Opening the door, Anko blinked in shock. There, covered in sweat and dirt was the little blonde fresh from training. However, it was the giant bottle of sake and take out carrier of dango that caught her attention. Fixing the Genin with a glare, the elder Kunoichi rose to her full height. "What the heck are you doing here kid? I thought I would find you later when I felt better?" Mostly, she had just wanted to avoid the medics. They always declared her unfit for duty when she came in like this, and if she was not running mission and killing things she would go crazy thinking about the past.

Meeting her glare defiantly, Ino held her purchases like a shield. "You might be too stubborn to go to the hospital, but I know you need to eat something. It's not what I should make you eat, but it's probably the only food you'll take. So I'm here to insure you get something down, even if it's only to numb the pain. After all, I owe you bigtime, and I'm not allowing you to die when I have so much more to learn! After all, if a comrade can't help you out, who can?"

Seeing the girl who she had lashed out at hours ago try to help, Anko could not help but chuckle. She had nearly gutted Kurenai for less during one of her moods, but doing that against Ino would not really be fair now would it? Besides, Kurenai usually tried to make her drink tea. "All right kid, you can come in and keep the grumpy adult company. But spill any of that sake and I won't miss this time." Nodding, the blonde entered the apartment without a sign of fear, leaving a bemused Anko standing in the entrance.

-----

Slipping out of the Inn, Naruto carefully checked around for tails before leaving in the early morning dawn. He had not missed the glances Baa-chan and Shizune-nee-chan had thrown one another after hearing about the poor girl getting attacked yesterday, and he would not put it pass them to investigate today. However, something told him that approaching her by himself would be more effective than ganging up on her all at once. Not really in the mood to argue his decision, the young Chunin decided to take matters into his own hands. After all, if there was one thing he had learned growing up, it was that it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Well, easier as in no one ever forgave him, but at least they could find his antics funny. Asking permission just earned him detentions and other indignities.

While he was not the best detective, Naruto did know something about being a pariah. The signs were all there, from the punks attitudes in general to the fact that everyone refused to help her in the first place. It was as if the locals thought she deserved it but did not have the guts to attack themselves. However, there were always people willing to deal with anyone for the right price or reason. After all, if not for an absurd love of ramen, he doubted the Ichiraku's would have wanted to have anything to do with him. Therefore, all Naruto needed to do was ask around the fish markets darkest and dankest locations. He had a name, Isaribi, and a general address within twenty minutes.

Apparently, Isaribi had a hut down by the ocean about a mile outside of town. None of her customers knew much about what had happened, and he got the impression they were happier off not knowing. Honestly, their attitude made the Chunin pissed as hell. Even when they were a little annoyed with a late ramen tab, Ayame and her old man at least seemed concerned about his health. Nevertheless, it was a fairly quick trip for a ninja, and given the relative solitude figuring out the location was a piece of cake. It did not hurt that the front of the dwelling was tagged with fresh graffiti, demanding that the monster girl give back the villages missing residents. The sight was almost enough to make him growl.

Hearing some splashing, Naruto passed the defaced hut only to be brought up short. Isaribi was facing the ocean, wearing some sort of swimming outfit. Noticing the basket of large and exotic fish, Naruto was almost distracted from watching the girl rewrap bandages around her arm. The distance was too great to see the damage clearly, but there was some sort of discoloration. However, given how much of her body was covered in wrappings, he was surprised that it seemed to be so limited. Well, that, and the fact that she had numerous fish without any sign of a pole or net.

Deciding that staring at the girl would only become creepy if continued, Naruto cleared his throat. "Hi there! Good morning!" The odd girl nearly jumped, but tightened the last wrapping before he could get a proper look at the exposed flesh. Some part of his psyche could not help but sigh at the lost opportunity. Ignoring his hormones, Naruto decided it was time to put his best foot forward. There was a girl who needed help, and everybody knew that the best ninja's always helped out the maidens in distress! With the company he kept, he was beginning to get out of practice!

Walking over to the tense girl, Naruto tried out one of his best grins. At the very least, it was usually enough to make others smile in return, even if they tried to hide it afterwards. "I was hoping to talk with you the other day, but we got interrupted. Do you need any help with that?" Glancing at him like some sort of bug, Isaribi simply grabbed her basket silently. Ignoring his presence, she walked forward towards the disfigured hut. Narrowing his eyes, Naruto was quick to follow. He had spent years working to get the acknowledgement of an entire village of angry bigots trying to ignore his existence. There was no way that a single injured girl was going to get away with it!

-----

Watching her Kunoichi sensei take another shot of sake, Ino nervously sipped her tea. Beyond insuring that the woman was alright, she had not planned beyond getting through the front door. It was not the most intelligent thing she had ever done, but the blonde was nothing if not strong willed. At least with the proof on the bottle Anko was not feeling that much pain. The quality of the drink took nearly a whole day's pay, but she could not sit back idle while her mentor wallowed in misery. In fact, she looked nearly ten times better than that morning. It was a cold comfort to her wallet, but everyone had to make sacrifices every now and then. Hers was to raid Naruto's ramen stash once again.

Pouring herself another drink, Anko snorted with an amused grin. "You know kid; I've always held that a person that's old enough to kill in cold blood can take a drink or two. Why don't you come over and take a pull? I promise I won't bite all that much." Blushing at the innuendo, Ino made no move from her place on the couch. There was no way she was getting into a drinking contest with this woman. She was not suicidal!

Apparently, her silent fidgeting was hilarious because the Special Jonin suddenly burst out laughing. It was only the threat to the bottle that kept her from tipping over. "Poor little Ino-chan! You can fight off enemy ninja or tell your family to screw themselves, but you're scared of a little drink with a washed up old gal like me. Live a little girl or you'll wish you had done more before it was all over." Blinking at the sudden depressed tone, the young Genin realized that this was more than a bad cold. Anko-sensei was hurting, and that would just not do at all! She had come here to make the Special Jonin happy, not send her into a drunken spiral of bad memories!

Looking at the older woman, Ino began to realize that this could be her in ten years. Anko-sensei was strong, tricky, and seductive to the point of sultriness. She could charm and kill with equal passion, all for the goal of completing her mission. Yet here, alone in a crappy apartment, the Snake Kunoichi seemed so alone. She owed the woman too much to allow that to continue. Gathering her courage, she moved closer to the drunken interrogator. "I don't think I've said it enough Anko-sensei, but I want to thank you. Without your help, I would never have become as strong as I am today. I don't know what is bothering you, and I know that I have a reputation of a gossip, but if you need to talk I'm always willing to keep you secrets." Smirking, the blonde tempted death and patted her Sensei's shoulder. "Of course, I only do that for my friends, so you should feel privileged."

At first, there did not seem to be any sort of reaction. Anko's face was blank as she stared at her sake cup. Then, the elder Kunoichi met her gaze with the intensity of a laser. "You know kid; I originally just took you on as a distraction. Things have been quiet lately, but when I heard about what happened to Uzumaki, I was ready to gut some civilians. I needed to clear my head and you needed a minder to keep you out of the worst of trouble. I never thought that I would actually get attached." Taking another drink, Anko glared at the empty cup. "I can't help but wonder if you'd still look up to me if you knew some of the things I've done."

Suppressing a snort, Ino sighed. "Anko-sensei, we're Kunoichi. I might not have gotten the best grades, but I knew that our profession is before graduation. I don't think that tales of seduction or poisonings are going to keep me from admiring you. If you're trying to get rid of me, try a little harder." Apparently, the older woman took that as a challenge. Rearing back, she launched her cup at terminal velocity right by her head, shattering into a dozen pieces.

Taking a deep breath, Anko visibly tried to gather herself. "You think I care about some stupid seduction or assassination mission? Kid, I was doing that crap when I was younger than you! No, there are just some things that you don't ignore." Leaning back, the elder Kunoichi sighed. "Some things leave their mark, and can never be forgotten." Remembering Asuma-sensei's comments, Ino slowly nodded. There were just some things she did not understand yet. However, she was ready to learn.

Biting her lip, Ino decided to jump head first. "Alright, Asuma-sensei warned me that there might be some things that you couldn't or wouldn't tell me. But if you change your mind, I'll be here. Now let me go grab you another cup." Heading toward the kitchen, the blonde was stopped in her tracks by a giggle. Turning towards her Sensei, Ino was shocked by the woman's lack of control. Anko was rolling on the ground laughing her head off.

"You took relationship advice from Asuma? Are you nuts kid? He and Kurenai have been tiptoeing around each other for nearly two years, and you think he can help you figure out how to deal with a woman? You're more hopeless than I thought!" Apparently, her expression must have clued the Special Jonin off that a line was crossed, because all the laughter stopped. "Alright brat, if you're desperate enough to listen to smoke stack, then I'd better start talking. Otherwise, you're going to pick up all sorts of bad habits." Smiling in victory, Ino sat for a long chat.

-----

Following the odd girl, Naruto was getting frustrated. He had been trying to get a rise out of Isaribi for nearly an hour now, and nothing seemed to be working! Either she would glare at him, or ignore his efforts completely. That did not mean he was giving up though! When she went to fetch fresh water, he was there to carry an extra bucket. When she went to start cooking, he was there to gather driftwood for the fire. However, it seemed that attempting to clean off the graffiti was the final straw. Observing him grab some water and cloths, Isaribi finally broke the silent treatment. "You should just leave it up. Every time that I take it down, the village kids just get more creative. It's better if you just don't bother."

Snorting, the blonde refused to stop his preparations. "So why should you let them have the satisfaction? It's your home, and they don't have the right to mess it up." Fixing her with a glare, he grabbed the bucket. "Besides, if you leave it up, you're just agreeing with them. No one should think that about themselves, and I refuse to sit back and allow that to happen."

Standing, Isaribi came over with a determined look in her eyes. Much to his shock, she knocked the supplies out of his hands with more strength than he had thought possible for a civilian. "What do you think you know about me? If you found this place, than you had to ask about me in town. Don't you know I'm dangerous? Apparently, I helped vanish dozens of villagers to feed them to spirits! What about that tells you that I'm not a monster? For all you know, I could spirit you away for even getting this close! Why don't you go back to your girlfriend and leave me alone!" The previously quiet, mysterious girl was replaced with a shouting and frustrated child, lashing out at anything around her. It was a feeling he knew oh so well.

Invading her private space, Naruto forced Isaribi to meet his gaze. "If you really did that, I bet you would have lashed out at them. Either you would have warned them off with threats to capture their children or tried to defend yourself in the market. You're a lot stronger than you let on. Instead you endure it, thinking that some part of you deserves it, and refuse to stoop to their level. That's what makes me think that you're not a monster."

Snorting, Isaribi looked away. "What do you know about it? Ever since I got back, people I trusted treat me like I'm diseased or a freak! None of my old friends will talk with me or acknowledge I exist! I saw you yesterday! You were on a date with a cute girl, walking without a care in the world! How could we have anything in common?"

Naruto had learned a lot on his journey. In fact, there were days he was terrified by his sudden rate of growth, now that someone actually cared about how far he could go. But there was one lesson that he had never needed. Even when he was all alone, the blonde had learned a lot about how to read people, mostly to protect himself from enemies. He might not understand every reaction, but there was one thing that he knew. He saw the loneliness and pain in Isaribi's eyes, and could not let it stand. So, as was his habit, he reached out to offer support.

"I know just what it's like to be labeled a freak. Only, I was called one for most of my life." Seeing her freeze at the statement, Naruto continued with a steady voice, ignoring his beating heart. "I didn't get friends or comrades until much later, but growing up no one wanted to know me or acknowledge me. You might have bandages to hide your marks, but I never even had a chance to do that." Knowing that she was paying close attention, Naruto gestured to his cheeks. "But I found people and fought every day, and now I have tons of people who care for me as much as I care for them. I know it's really hard, but if I can do it, I'm sure you could as well."

Seeing her anger begin to crumble, he decided to go for broke. "Right now I'm studying medical techniques, and my Sensei is really good. I bet that if you came with me, she could try to fix you right up. What do you say? Will you trust us to help heal you?" Naruto knew that this was the key moment where things could change. A person, no matter how much pain they were in, could only take help if they accepted it. If Isaribi came with him, Baa-chan could look her over and find out what had happened. She might have no trouble moving, but those bandages were covering up something. If they discovered the truth, then maybe she would not be alone anymore!

Unfortunately, the choice was taken from her hands. Both were shocked by a sudden explosion from the ocean. Before Naruto could react, two tentacle-like appendages wrapped around Isaribi, dragging her towards the water. At the same time, his ninja senses picked up a disturbance behind him. Turning, lashed out in instinct, only to look into the shocked face of an unknown ninja. Watching the man collapse in pain, Naruto quickly turned towards the ocean, but both Isaribi and her attacker were gone.

-----

Walking back to Naruto's place, Ino reflected on her talk with Anko-sensei. It had been a little disjointed near the end there, but she had learned a surprisingly large amount of information about the woman. While touched at this sign of trust, she had to admit, if only in the safety of her own mind, that the data was somewhat disturbing. There were days that the only way she maintained her faith in the village was thinking about how much of a statistical anomaly Naruto's situation was. Discovering the depth of how Anko had been treated disillusioned her of that quickly enough.

She had heard some rumors about the elder Kunoichi, and knew that she was somehow linked to Orochimaru. The summoned snakes were a bit of a giveaway. But she had never really stopped to consider what that had meant for the woman. Anko was always so confident and strong that it was easy to forget that she had been recovered barely out of her teens. Before the Sannin's defection, he had been one of the most beloved and favored ninja of the village. As his apprentice, she was seen as a rising prodigy, and one of the key stones of the future ninja generations. But once she returned, all the respect and love had turned to hatred and distrust. Ino was unsure what she would have done in such a situation, but a killing spree was not out of the question.

But the worst part was the nature of her betrayal. Anko had not come out and said too much, but it was easy to see she had idolized the man. He was her beloved Sensei, and she was willing to do anything the psycho had asked of her. The details were somewhat sketchy, but Ino decided that she did not need to know everything. The Snake Kunoichi had been used, and then taken along during the defection. According to the woman, there had never even been a question of following her mentor. Orochimaru had her loyalty, and thought nothing of using it. That had nearly led to her destruction.

Sakura had told her about the Cursed Seal during one of her bad days. She described how Sasuke had revealed in the resulting power, bringing out the darkest parts of his nature. Ino herself had seen the results in the Forrest of Death, and had worked very hard to ignore those memories. But to discover that Anko had been the sole survivor of the original development test was a shock. It was like a brand, constantly reminding the woman of her bad choices and past mistakes. Having the thing respond to her happy moods by inducing pain and misery was just that much worse.

At least things had gotten better after the invasion. If there was ever a time to activate a sleeper agent it was then, so most of the interested parties did not think she was suddenly going to start killing everybody in the name of her old Sensei. However, that did not keep some of the populace from lashing out at her in some misguided attempt to find closure about Orochimaru's crimes. The difficulty finding a decent apartment was just one example the civilian population indulged in for fun. Despite a little intimidation, Anko managed to rise above it most of the time. In fact, if she had not been distracted by training Ino, Anko might have lost it when Naruto's story came out.

Realizing that the elder Kunoichi was in pain partially because she had been enjoying their time together, Ino refused to leave her alone. They stayed up talking until Anko had kicked her out to get some sleep. They had apparently decided on a special training exercise at five in the morning. Ino did not remember suggesting the insane time slot, but the look in Anko's eyes encouraged her to smile while running. Honestly, she thought the psycho had been cackling as she rushed down the street.

However, alone on the pathway home, Ino could not help but think about what it must have been like. To have someone you loved and trusted without reservation abandon you like a failed experiment sounded horrible. Just imagine what would have happened if Sasuke had asked her to abandon the village? Could she have ended up as poorly off as Anko-sensei? Shivering at the thought, the blonde quietly checked the traps before entering the apartment. Getting ready for bed, she decided to put it out of her mind. Any love that stripped you of identity and will was not a love she wanted any part of.

-----

Author's Notes

Yay, it's ready!

I am so sorry for another unpleasant delay, but RL sucked the power from my mind this month. There is always a lot of drama around Valentine's Day, and enough was dumped in my lap to suck the fun out of my brain. Not to mention another writing idea that will be premiering soon. Sorry, but I could not hold it back anymore -_-;;;

Now then, thank you all so much for your reviews. While there was no specific question that I do not plan on answering soon within the story, the general acceptance of Neji s comedy routine was very gratifying. I honestly don t see myself as a comedy writer, so whenever I attempt it the experience is rather hit or miss.

This chapter had a little more angst than normal, but I wanted the characters to grow more as people. To clarify though, Anko will NOT be joining the team at this time. I made that choice when Hana joined in the last adventure. The larger the groups the harder it is too hide, so with most of the Elemental Countries after their skins, I m keeping this a rather exclusive party. Isaribi will play a part, but probably not the one you expect.

Oh, and to clarify, Naruto does NOT think that he and Hinata have had a date yet! This was simply a practice run, and he refuses to acknowledge it as anything more. After all, an awesome Kunoichi like Hinata-chan deserves more than a shopping trip and some cheap take-out! She was happy with it, but does not know how to express it when he is all distracted by the incident at the end there. Better luck next time!

Oh, and the pun actually had to do with the rough translation of Hyuga being "towards the sun". I was trying to emphasize the fact that both Hinata and Neji had central parts to play within the chapter. Although, with Hinata roughly meaning "Sunny Place", I guess that works too.

Now, let us go to the next chapter! Growing up is rather hard to do, especially when you want to fight the establishment! Rescues and clashes with authority are coming up next time! Stay Tuned!


	30. Trials and Traitors

No, I don't own Naruto. I can't afford to stock that much Ramen anyways.

Chapter Twenty Seven: Trials and Traitors

Franticly searching the coastline, Naruto was frustrated by both the rising surf and lack of clues. Isaribi was gone, and not a trace remained. Gritting his teeth, the blonde found it very difficult to maintain his composure. He had been so close to finding out what had happened to the poor girl, and then someone goes and abducts her! He could not search for her without information, but every second he delayed put her in real danger! What was he going to do? Hearing a pained groan, the Chunin turned around, only to see the sprawled form of his own assailant.

Rushing over, he grabbed the bastard by the shirt. "Alright, who the hell are you, who are you working for and where did your pall take Isaribi?" Forming a fist, the blonde felt a sick sense of satisfaction as every knuckle popped at once. "If you don't start talking, I'm going to start breaking things. Too bad for you Baa-chan hasn't shown me how to heal fractured bones yet!" He had thought that was suitably intimidating, so when the figure actually started to laugh, it nearly made him see red. Throwing the enemy onto the ground, Naruto practically growled. "What's so damn funny?"

Pushing his shades back, the enemy assailant smirked. "You know brat, I know it's been a while, but I honestly thought you'd remember me. After all, I was able to smack your old teammate around like a ping pong ball. That sort of thing tends to stick, especially with ninja of any level of intelligence." Glaring at the bastard, Naruto tried to think. The only one to really beat up Sakura-chan was Ino-chan and those Sound Ninja creeps, so that left Sasuke. Since this jerk was obviously not Orochimaru, Zabuza or Haku, that did not leave a lot of options.

Blinking, Naruto reached for his spare kunai. "You're that bastard Kabuto's teammate from the Chunin Exams! What the hell are you doing all the way out here?" However instead of answering his question the larger ninja suddenly lunged, grabbing his arm. Angered by the sudden contact, Naruto grabbed the offending appendage, glaring at the enemy's smug expression. In the blonde's experience, that sort of look never meant anything good.

Hands glowing, the enemy ninja chuckled darkly. "I'm not that bastard Kabuto's anything now, brat. The name's Akadou Yoroi, and if you had two brain cells to rub together, you'd remember what a bad idea it is to allow me to get so close. After all, I'm rather hungry, and your chakra's just too damn tasty!" Belatedly, Naruto remembered that the traitor had used a special ability to drain Sasuke's chakra during their fight in the preliminaries months ago. But if Yoroi was using the technique, why didn't he feel anything? The enemy's sudden scream of pain answered that question. Apparently, chakra absorption and demonic chakra did not mix well.

Gripping the twitching limb, Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Alright punk, now that that's all taken care of, why don't you start talking? I've learned a trick or two, and I'm in no mood to play around. So why don't you start by telling me what the hell is going on!" Of course, before the blonde could get a good head of steam going, someone had to clear their throat right behind him. Turning, the young Chunin dropped his prisoner in shock.

Standing before him was the rest of his team and their mascots in full battle gear. Judging from the looks he was getting, none of them were happy with him right now. If there was one thing that Naruto had learned recently, it was that a pack of angry Kunoichi was not something that you wanted to attract the attention of. Tapping her foot, Baa-chan fixed him with a look. "Why don't we have Shizune and Hinata-chan take a look at him, Naruto? In the meantime, I think that we need to have a little chat." Gulping, Naruto began to wonder if he should have simply started running after Isaribi when she first left. There was not that much ocean to search was there?

-----

Analyzing his target with practiced ease, Konohamaru tried to remain calm. Ever since Iruka-sensei's lecture on emotional control during missions, he had been working on trying to save his laughter and glee after his success. Unfortunately, it did not come easily, and required an absurd amount of concentration. Slapping his cheeks to help focus, the Academy student readied his tools. The operation's success relied solely upon his initial strike. For both his teammates and his rival, he refused to fail here!

Reaching for his radio headset, Konohamaru carefully pressed the button three times to begin the operation. Waiting with baited breath, he marginally relaxed after receiving the counter signal from each teammate. Struggling with the technique described in his grandfather's scrolls, the young boy slowly and precisely channeled his chakra while forming his hand signs. To his immense relief, a Shadow Clone Shuriken formed perfectly next to the original on the ground. Replacing the real weapon, he retrieved a small glass jar from his side pouch revealing a struggling little roach. Affixing the bug to the cloned shuriken, he loaded a weapons launcher before taking aim. He had to time this just right or it would not go as planned.

Looking over the target, the ninja in training aimed just above his head. Biting his lip, Konohamaru launched the projectile before preparing for the second part of the plan. Forming a hand seal, he waited until the shuriken was at the peak of its flight before canceling the jutsu. As a result, the fat merchant was shocked as a live, wriggling cockroach landed in his soup splashing hot liquid all over his expensive robes. That was the signal for his teammates to go into action.

Screaming Moegi, transformed to look like an average civilian in her twenties, jumped backwards while knocking over her table. Not only did this increase the damage, but drew more attention to the disgusting sight of the tainted soup bowl. Udon, transformed into an unremarkable laborer on break, unsealed three more jars from his position near the kitchen doors. Suddenly, the food stand became a scene of chaos as both civilians and ninjas began to scamper around with bugs under foot. The owners were up to their eye balls in angry customers while the merchant, once the shock wore off, began screaming in both anger and fear. Before things were sorted out, all three students were long gone.

Moving towards the regroup point, Konohamaru allowed himself a mild chuckle. The mission was a complete success, despite the presence of other ninja. Since none of the students had drawn attention to themselves, the only traces were the bugs and the temporary cloud from a dispersed cloned weapon. It could not have happened to a better target either. The merchant had been one of the main people involved in driving up food prices whenever Naruto-boss went shopping. Rumor was that most of his employees were to reject the blonde on sight while the others would offer overpriced and lower quality stock.

Of course, the restaurant was far from innocent either. They had been known to offer discounts or complimentary meals to anyone willing to trash his reputation and made a point of supporting the families who kept trying to vandalize the blonde's apartment. The more he found himself finding out about Naruto's life in Konoha, the more determined Konohamaru became to continue his version of justice. His rival deserved more than this, and Konohamaru would not stand for it anymore! If his grandfather could not stop this kind of discrimination, then he would show his strength by succeeding where the old man failed!

-----

Resisting the urge to pace, Tsunade glared at her only male apprentice. She might care dearly for the little punk, but his actions today were going too far! "Do you have any idea how dangerous it was to just disappear like that, Naruto? Even if the Akatsuki don't officially need you for their plans for a couple of years, what's to stop them from taking the initiative early? You can't just decide to leave without backup or notifying me!" Forcing the pouting kid to face her, the elder blonde allowed some of her emotions to surface. "Do you know how scared we were that you had been abducted?"

Sighing, Naruto met her gaze squarely and without fear. "I had to come here and find out what was going on with that girl. After seeing what the villagers did to her, I couldn't just stand back and do nothing! She was all alone, with no one to turn to, and I knew exactly what she was dealing with. Are you telling me I should have sat back and ignored this?" Noting his determination, Tsunade refused to be swayed. The brat seemed to be making great strides, but he needed to remember his situation. They could not be divided when most of the freaking continent was looking for them!

"Listen Naruto, I know what you mean. But we decided to check into this Isaribi last night, remember? There was no reason for you to do this alone! At the very least, you should have brought Hinata along for backup! The only reason that we didn't start tearing up the countryside was the fact she spotted your chakra from town, and brought us along to observe. You could have done the exact same thing by working with us instead of over us. If you had simply trusted us to help out, the girl might not have been abducted in the first place!" Watching him flinch, Tsunade felt a little bad, but refused to express it. This whole thing was a seriously poor judgment call, and if the kid was ever to make a proper Chunin, he needed to learn and grow from such failures.

Looking away, the younger blonde looked lost. "Baa-chan, I just couldn't bring anyone for this. If she had suspected that this was a setup, then I wouldn't have gotten anywhere. If you suddenly appeared, she wouldn't have trusted me as far as she could have thrown me. Bringing Hinata-chan along would have only made things worse. Then she would think that we were checking out a local legend for kicks of something." As much as she wanted to refute his words, Tsunade could not ignore that tone. It seemed that Naruto was remembering something again.

Firming his stance, the boy met her gaze with renewed determination. "Isaribi needed someone to try to help her, not pretend for their own amusement. The best way to do that was come here alone without any obvious backup. She needed a connection, and only someone who knows what it's like to be alone or mocked by those they once thought of as friends could understand. Otherwise she could have become hostile, and nothing would have been gained. Besides," he said, forming a dispersal seal, "It wasn't like I was completely alone. My backup just didn't act because they weren't told to expect an attack on Isaribi rather than me." Before the Hokage's eyes nearly a dozen pebbles, shells, and chunks of loose coral transformed back into Naruto clones.

Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade considered her options. Naruto had in fact only been missed for ten minutes before their team had moved to track him down. However, upon discovering him talking with the subject, Hinata had suggested that they simply wait and observe the situation. Unfortunately, the distance required to avoid Naruto's recently sharpened senses had resulted in taking too long to prevent Isaribi's abduction. If Naruto had been successfully taken they might have acted more quickly, but securing the blonde's safety was the higher priority. Nevertheless, his independence was slowly becoming a security risk. There just did not seem to be anything she could do to limit it right now. "Let's go see what the others have gotten from our prisoner. But Naruto, this is not over." Seeing his frown, the Hokage headed towards the interrogation.

-----

Observing his students, Iruka could not help but grin. Konohamaru and his compatriots were working at a level he would expect from seasoned Genin, let alone fresh Academy Students. Honestly, discovering that they had managed to learn such skills in part from Naruto sill floored him, while simultaneously brining a spring to the Chunin's step. If he did not want the village to remain relatively intact, he might have requested that this sort of training become standard for some of the other prospective ninja. It had certainly done untold wonders for their skills in a short amount of time.

Clapping his hands to get their attention, Iruka chuckled at their enthusiasm. None of them had managed this level of dedication in class. It was actually rather refreshing. "Alright, I observed your operation and I am quite impressed. Not only did you hit the right targets, you did so with precision and control. Even when the situation is investigated, I doubt that you will in any way be implicated. On a scale of one to ten, I give each of you a solid nine." Seeing the looks of shock, Iruka crossed his arms. He knew what was coming and was actually looking forward to it.

"But Iruka-sensei, why didn't we get a perfect score? Both targets were hit, nothing can get traced back to us, and that restaurant s going to have trouble for months if the health inspectors don't shut them down. I think that there's nothing we could have done better there!" Konohamaru's loud declaration was completely supported by the body language of both his friends. Honestly, such a show of teamwork really impressed the scarred Chunin. However, as a ninja teacher he knew that it was vital to insure the full understanding of all his charges. So they had to properly realize not only how they succeeded but also how they could improve. After all, pride could easily get you killed in the field.

Sitting down, Iruka tried to project a sense of calm. Getting into a yelling match with the kids would not accomplish anything, and they needed to learn how to look underneath the underneath of this mission. "Now, while I do admit that you did very well, don't forget where you are. While the merchant is going to be inconvenienced for a while and the stand will probably be shut down for health code violations, I doubt anything lasting will come of it." Seeing their downturned faced, he shook his head. They were just too sincere! "Oh, I bet a lot of customers will avoid the stand for a while, but all the owners have to do it hire a couple of Aburame to insure that there is no serious infestation, and most of the rumors will go away. The only way to make this long term would have been to spike a couple of unrelated dinners with chemical purges or other such tricks. However, that could have led to a much more serious investigation and we don't want that right now, ok?"

Seeing that his students had cheered up a bit Iruka stood once again. This was the part that always felt awkward, and he honestly disliked the both the request and that Konohamaru knew enough to pull it off. "Now, Jiraiya-sama has asked for a special prank as payment for the usage of ANBU style radio equipment. Do any of you guys have an idea about how to make a large number of females angry in a public place with a minimum of clothing?" Seeing the Sandaime's grandson eyes light up at his request gave him the shivers, but there was honestly not much to do about it. After all, this was the kid that Naruto taught his perverted originals to.

Surprisingly it was not the little monkey who spoke up first, but the gutsy Moegi. "I have a great idea! Rumor has it that there's a clothing merchant that refused Boss service even after he became a ninja! The owners were bragging all over town how they didn't care what the ninja said and how they would keep him out even with a piece of metal! They would be a perfect target, and focus a lot on high end formal wear and undergarments. The old pervert will probably get us ANBU armor if we pull that one off!" Sighing at the corrupted youth before him, the young Chunin shook his head. The creepy thing was that the kid was probably one hundred percent right.

Sighing, Iruka forced a grin. "Alright then, I want each of you to think of possible methods of operation for the next couple of days. We'll meet back here during my next free shift this week, and begin our initial preparations. In the meantime, I'd better return the equipment to Jiraiya-sama before it's missed. Hand it over and head out!" After retrieving both the radios and the shuriken launcher, Iruka saw his charges off before heading directly to the tower. This was a shame because, in his distracted state, the crouched form of Ebisu went completely unnoticed in the bushes.

-----

Observing the enemy, Hinata suppressed the urge to shudder. Whatever had happened when the traitor tried to absorb Naruto-kun's chakra left his coils warped and strained. Without proper treatment, it was likely he would lose the use of both his hands. It was too bad for him that they were not interested in healing right now. This ninja was working for Orochimaru and had attempted to assault one of their own. As a result, neither of the Kunoichi was feeling very accommodating and only did enough to insure his momentary survival. They needed answers or a young girl would be hurt. Shivering, Hinata watched Shizune-sempai prepare her medical tools. If there was one thing she could understand, it was helping a victim of kidnapping.

Hana was splitting her time between guarding for another attack and observing the prisoner, so it would be her responsibility to help with the interrogation. Luckily, understanding the moods and hidden secrets of opponents was bread and butter for the Hyuga. That did not meant this would not be unpleasant. Selecting a senbon needle, Shizune turned to the prisoner. "Akadou Yoroi; you are an enemy of Konoha and known associate of an S-rank missing ninja. I am giving you one chance to tell us what you know. Otherwise, I will be forced to demonstrate my proficiency with pain points until you do so." His only response was to spit in the elder brunette's face.

Wiping the spit off calmly, the medic jabbed the senbon right into his arm. Hinata had to give the enemy credit. Judging from both his reaction and straining chakra network, that strike had to hurt. Reaching for another needle, Shizune calmly explained. "I might not be a Hyuga, but there is any number of pressure points that a medic can use. Normal medical practice has them used to relieve pressure and minimize pain when you need to conserve chakra usage. However, there are several points that induce massive amounts of pain if you know what you're doing. Now, I'm going to ask again. Tell us what you know or I will continue."

This was a side of the medic that Hinata had never seen before. Shizune was so laid back and cheerful, at times you could forget that she was trained as a Kunoichi as well as a medic. But Hinata could not blame her for such actions. A young girl was in danger and these two had attempted to hurt Naruto-kun. She had killed for the boy before, so a little torture did not seem unreasonable in the grand scheme of things. Honestly, at least this was simpler than what Kurenai-sensei had done to those bandits they needed information from. Nevertheless, after six needles and a lot of pain did nothing, it was clear that something had to change. The instruction was useful, and she'd have to remember a couple of them for later, but Isaribi needed help now.

Stepping forward, the younger Kunoichi cleared her throat. "Shizune-sempai, would you like me to help? I might not be good with needles yet, but I can always use my Juken to speed things up." Pointing to his lower abdomen, Hinata tired to keep her voice steady. She had never been very intimidating before, but in this case she was willing to make an exception. "I could start right there. Under the navel is a rather unpleasant spot that can disable sexual reproduction. From what I understand, the sensation of having your genitalia slowly self destruct from a chakra overload is rather painful. It might be a good starting point." Hey, if she was going to spend months going over medical journals, she might as well show off some of her new vocabulary.

Hinata tried to be a nice person and a good friend, but there were some things that simply had to be done. If she showed mercy or stayed silent, it would not change Yoroi's fate. He had worked with Orochimaru, attacked loyal Konoha ninja with the intent to kill, and apparently aided some sort of kidnapping ring. There was no chance, and more importantly, no reason to work for his rehabilitation or release. If a threat helped him spill his information faster, then she was all for it. After all, innocent lives were at stake. Luckily, Kurenai-sensei's advice for intimidating enemy male ninja was finally useful. One look at her serious face, and the captive started spilling like a leaky faucet.

-----

As an ANBU, you were often called upon to perform the darkest and dirtiest actions for your village. Other than a few commanders and the Hokage no one would ever know the depths that Konoha had gone to secure its safety and prosperity. However, Tenzou was about to do something disgusting, even by the organizations standards. It was time to collect samples for the Uchiha breeding project, and apparently he was the only one Jiraiya-sama trusted enough to lead the responsible group. Nothing could afford to threaten this mission, or it would be a massive blow to the future of the village.

The team was comprised of four members, three to protect the cargo and one medic to perform the procedure. Each was on high alert, knowing that Orochimaru himself was trying to infiltrate and steal the results. Even hidden beneath the surface of the village, protected by seals, passwords and all sorts of other guardians, who knew what could happen? Not to mention the other major and minor villages that would love to steal the Sharingan for their own purposes. Therefore, each team member had been carefully chosen for both their loyalty and independence. None of the clans would be raising a secret super soldier either if the ANBU captain had anything to say about it.

Checking over the seals, Tenzou sighed in relief. Although a couple were slightly out of alignment that could simply be chalked up to misalignment from Kurenai's visit. It was not like the ANBU had enough seal masters to double check every single cell for flaws. After all, half the security of this location was the lack or regular contact or circulation. Most of the manual upkeep was maintained with seals and mechanics that were utilized upon the initial incarceration. The Uchiha should be honored honestly. There had not been a prisoner dangerous enough to warrant this level of treatment since the last great ninja war.

Looking over the prisoner, Tenzou could not help but shake his head in despair. This was the proud student that Kakashi-sempai had favored? Now the last heir of the clan was nothing more than an emaciated husk, hanging limply while covered in blood, dirt and ink. Hearing their entrance, the traitor's stance suddenly changed. Instead of being broken, there was tenseness in his movements. Raising his head, the ANBU could almost feel the acid as the blindfolded and broken creatures snarled. "Who's there? What do you think you are doing here? I want to see your faces you bastards!" There was no defeat in his tone or manner. Apparently incarceration had done nothing to remove the Uchiha's pride.

However, they had no time to deal with a temper tantrum. Forming hand seals, Tenzou simply put him under a forced sleep Genjutsu. Without his Sharingan or Charka, the technique took almost no effort at all. Gesturing to the medic, he watched impassively as she proceeded to scan for any health problems. Anything major would have been detected by now, but it always paid to double check before a medical procedure. Signaling there did not seem to be any problems, the medic broke the seal on his lower restrains. Tenzou suppressed a gag with the practice of a hundred battles. The sanitation seals in the contraption should have prevented infection or localized decay, but the smell was still strong enough to encompass the entire cell.

Reaching for a sterile beaker, the medic began to perform a basic cellular extraction jutsu. Tenzou tried not to think too deeply about the mechanics involved, but luckily the procedure was brief each time. However, before he could relax the medic swore. Turning to the contents of the beaker, the ANBU captain was shocked as the contents began to discolor and decay. Before his eyes, every sample began to show the same corruption, despite the medic s best efforts. Before long, the ANBU team was left with one nearly naked pre-teen and twenty beakers of ruined samples.

Turning to the medic, Tenzou allowed his stance to convey his confusion. Words just seemed inadequate for what they had witnessed. Picking up the tension, the medic sighed. "I have no idea what caused this, Captain, but I think I'll have more answers once we get topside. In the meantime, I recommend that we secure the prisoner and leave. Something seriously wrong has occurred to hinder the Uchiha Breeding Project." Nodding, Tenzou signaled his other subordinates. They needed to finished up here and report to Jiraiya-sama at once!

-----

Isaribi, securely held and contained under Misumi's arm, let out a sigh. While the young girl knew that things would not go well for her if she resisted, the dramatics of these ninja could get really irritating at times. Case in point; thanks to that bastard Amachi she could have reached the hideout within about ten minutes. But instead of sending for her like a sane person, the bastard instead had one of his errand boys abduct her! In fact, now that they had arrived, there was no reason to be treated like a bag of rice. "Are you going to let me go or what? I can walk you know."

Shrugging, the ninja simply put her down and pointed down the hall. "Alright, but don't take too long. The boss wants to have a chat with you and is in no mood to wait." Irritated at the tone, but mindful of the realities of the situation, Isaribi began to quickly walk down the hall. She could never forgive Amachi for doing this to her, but knew that he was the best chance she had to be normal again. It's not like any of the other ninja villages would help some poor orphan. Some would keep her as a specimen while others would simply kill her. So her best bet was to work with the bastard until he was bored enough to reverse the process.

Entering the familiar lab, Isaribi was struck by the smug look on the medic's face. Amachi had alternated from sadistic pleasure to rage ever since his major support from Orochimaru had been halted. Only his experiments on locals calmed the bastard down, or the gold she managed to recover from the tribute boats. However, now he looked like he was ready to take on the entire Elemental Countries! "Ah, my little fish. How good of you to join us! I do hope that you were not hurt by Misumi's rough treatment. However, it was needed for our newest plan to work." Glancing at the ninja walking through the door, the medic frowned. "By the way my boy, where did Yoroi get to? He was responsible for bringing the other bait."

Frowning, Misumi cleared his throat. "It appears that the Kyuubi Brat has gotten a little stronger. I saw him knock Yoroi out as I left with our little fish. Not to worry though, I doubt that the idiot will lose his chance to play hero. After all, there can be no doubt that we did kidnap a young girl for our nefarious purposes. I bet a rescue party shows up in no time." Watching the evil grins of the two ninja, Isaribi gulped. What was so important about that blonde kid? Other than being nosy and overly friendly, there did not seem to be anything interesting about him besides his hair color.

Apparently noticing her once again, Amachi gave an oily grin. "I think it's time to come clean my dear. Orochimaru-sama has reconsidered his support for my work, and if this works out like I think it will, there will be no reason I can't return you to your normal state; although, I honestly cannot understand why you would want to. If anything, you should be thanking me for such wondrous abilities." Apparently her expression was enough of an answer to that line of thought, because the medic did not even bother waiting for a reply. "Oh well, it's your loss my dear subject. In the meantime, I think you need to understand just what we are about to accomplish!"

Beginning to pace, Amachi's raw energy and excitement where almost enough to make the air vibrate. "Apparently, Orochimaru's old teammate has decided to leave Konoha for some reason. Tsunade of the Sannin is one of the most accomplished medics in history, and currently the acknowledged best of the world. Orochimaru-sama has decided to recruit her into the organization, but given her relative strength and ability, we need to get something important to her for leverage." Whirling in place, he jabbed his finger at her face. "That's where you come in! A mysterious child, ostracized and alone, is just the sort of thing that would draw their attention. From what I understand, Tsunade's only male apprentice is a sucker for a girl like that. Now he will come looking for you, and when he arrives, you can lead him into a trap. Once we have one of her apprentices under our control, then the Slug Sannin will have no choice but to work for Orochimaru-sama! This plan cannot fail!"

Eyes widening, Isaribi fell back in shock. That's what Naruto was talking about by learning a little medical ninjutsu? Even an orphan like her knew that saying Tsunade of the Sannin was really good at medical ninjutsu had to be like saying the ocean was really big! Amachi was always going on and on about the brilliance of Orochimaru, but if Tsunade was better than both him and the Snake, then she might be able to help one of their experiments! No more blackmailed servitude or theft to support a crazy medic! She might actually become normal again! Watching Amachi's excitement, Isaribi forced herself to calm down. She would be better off playing it cool for the time being.

However, her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden noise. Looking around, she was startled by the appearance of three unknown figures. Given her time in the medic's base, she was quite familiar with most of the inhabitants. However, these three were totally strange. Apparently noticing her distress, Amachi barked out a short laugh. "Oh yes, forgive my manners. When Orochimaru-sama heard about Tsunade approaching this area, he decided that we needed a little backup. These three are some of his subjects from Rice Country, and are totally devoted to our cause. So you have no reason to worry little fish." Seeing the light reflect off of unknown weaponry, Isaribi suppressed a shudder. She could only hope to stay alive at the end of this.

-----

As an experienced ninja, Jiraiya did not tend to believe in such things as fate or destiny with very few exceptions. He had seen too many things over the course of his career to think such nebulous ideas could rule his life. However he did believe quite strongly in karma, because at the moment it seemed interested in screwing him royally. Some cynical part of his mind could not help but crow that it knew things were going too smoothly. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he glared at the medical report before him. "Are you absolutely sure these results are accurate? This could be a disaster in the making."

Visibly unfazed by his frustration, the medical ANBU stood at attention. Both were alone, without a single additional guard in attendance. The information was among the most secret of current village operations after all. "I am afraid there is no flaw in the analysis, Jiraiya-sama. Judging from the state and rapid decomposition of the samples, the subject appears to have some sort of unknown protective measures in place. Any attempt to take genetic material at all resulted in nearly immediate corruption of the sample. Until this is dealt with, I see no possible method of recreating the kekkei genkai."

Leaning back, the Toad Sage closed his eyes in frustration. "It's not unheard of for a clan to take some sort of steps to protect their secrets. The Hyuga are just especially draconian about it. However, given the depth and abilities of the clan in question there is no telling what could be involved here. For all we know the bastard has to do a rain dance in flaming underwear to reproduce! There is just no one left with the needed information!"

Clearing her throat, the medic broke through his anger with a clinical detachment. "We must also consider the possibility that he simply has no information on the mechanics involved. He was rather young when the rest of the clan passed on. For all we know the particulars were withheld from family members until marriage. With the way the clan valued their particular skills, certain precautions against natural preferences only make sense. It would not do to have a valued member of the clan head's household father a number of children out of wedlock. The embarrassment involved would be nothing compared to the security concerns."

Biting his lip, Jiraiya nodded decisively. "Thank god for small favors. If he actually had control over his ability to pass on the kekkei genkai, the subject might try to use this as leverage for his eventual release. As of right now, we'll simply assume that he is unfamiliar with the mechanism and disregard his input as overly hostile. Meanwhile, I want you examining those samples and their rate of decomposition to try to determine the most likely method of protection the clan is using. For all we know, it could be anything from a seal to a special compound during his immunizations as a baby. Go at once." Bowing the medic left him alone with his thoughts.

As important as understanding the movements of ROOT were, Jiraiya knew he needed to table his translations for the moment. There was still no one in the cryptology department he trusted with such delicate work, so he had been forced to slowly go through the material about two hours a day since the raid. However, if word got out that the Uchiha Breeding Project was dealing with medical issues, elements of the village might jump at the opportunity to force Tsunade to return early. Therefore, the dozens of scrolls and materials retrieved from the Uchiha Compound had suddenly become his newest hobby. At this rate, his latest book was going to take another three years to finish! Crying tears of pain and sorrow, the Sage began to sort thought the necessary documents.

-----

Running across the ocean, Naruto kept his eyes locked on Kikaijima Island. Yoroi had eventually spilled his secrets through Shizune-nee-chan and Hinata-chan's efforts. Unfortunately, the man had limited information on Orochimaru himself. Apparently the Snake Sannin had used the traitor as a measuring stick for Sasuke's progress and to encourage the Genin's development of the Curse Seal. Having failed to impress his benefactor, he had been reassigned to a minor branch of the organization. However, his knowledge of local events was both extensive and perverse. When it was all over, the chakra-absorbing ninja had not survived his honesty.

Apparently the local operation had been secretly maintained by a medical ninja named Amachi. He and Orochimaru had collaborated a few years ago to produce ninja traits based upon aquatic life. Eventually the Sannin had withdrawn most of his support, viewing the research as overly limited and specialized, but Amachi persisted. His devotion and obsession amused Orochimaru a bit, so the bastard would occasionally send resources his way. Unsatisfied with the slow progress, the medic used his henchmen to abduct locals for test subjects. That's where Isaribi came in.

Amachi had used the poor girl to develop the beginnings of an artificial bloodline. She was, in fact, the first successful prototype for the artificial soldier he had been working towards for years. According to his information, she had enhanced strength, speed, and could breathe underwater. Yet Isaribi was a civilian, not a ninja. Once the procedure was completed, she begged and pleaded to be returned to normal. That was when Amachi presented a simple plan. Isaribi would be allowed to return to the mainland, but must never tell anyone what had happened to her. In exchange for her silence and help in acquiring more resources for his experiments, the medic would return her to normal.

Of course, being a civilian, Isaribi did not realize just what the bastard was setting her up for. Returning to the village without a proper explanation and odd markings made her a target for fear and abuse. According to Yoroi, Amachi gloated about this in private, viewing it as a chance to gather more data and further bind the girl to his will. The more desperate she became to regain her perceived humanity, the more he could force her to do for him. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, she was simply a prototype. Once her usefulness was at an end, the medic would kill her, and study the resulting corpse for more scientific data.

After hearing the facts, Tsunade-baa-chan announced her decision. This base was a legitimate target and had to be destroyed. Not only would they be denying Orochimaru potential resources in the future, but the information on the base could help with their own intelligence problems with Oto. Their targets were both Amachi and the second traitor Tsurugi Misumi who had abducted Isaribi from the beach. After taking care of that, they would try to offer the poor girl sanctuary and treat her to the best of their abilities. Thinking of the lonely girl, bound to a medical table for dissection, Naruto pushed himself just a bit harder.

-----

Smiling lightly, Homura watched as Koharu thanked their employer for the afternoon. The woman was a mother of three whose husband was a Chunin in the ninja forces. However, he had recently been injured in a minor conflict on the border of Earth Country and was restricted to the hospital. Their mission for the day was to babysit the young children and insure their good behavior. If there was one thing the two elders knew about, it was caring for small children, and the client was happy to discover this fact upon her return. Of course, given the D-rank missions they had been dealing with lately, babysitting was a nice change of pace and one more step towards reinstatement. Then things would really begin to change.

He freely admitted that Jiraiya was an excellent ninja and fine Hokage candidate, but the boy had no idea what he was dealing with. Both elders had been ninja before he had stopped using diapers, and years of maneuvering and manipulation gave both the skills to play a long game. While popular among the ninja, the Toad Sage had neglected several elements of the civilian population. That was where his ridiculous demand for one hundred D-rank missions was going to come back to haunt him. Even if Jiraiya successfully found their allies within the population, by the time things came to a conclusion he would be powerless to act.

As advisors to the Hokage, most of the general population had limited contact with him and his old teammate. However, Sarutobi had been one of the most accessible Hokage's in the history of the village. Everyone knew the Sandaime on sight with or without his badges of office, and loved him for it. Now that he and Koharu were forced to work within the bowels of the village, they were able to borrow from that good will to build their own support base. The ANBU could observe all they wanted, but most children did not fully understand subtlety anymore. It was all flashy ninjutsu, genjutsu or taijutsu nowadays, but the elders had been raised in the time of manipulation and the beginnings of the shadow government. None of these brats, Jiraiya included, could look deeply enough underneath the underneath.

Every time that they were assigned to garden, they made a point of chatting with the clients as they worked or afterwards, building friendly connection. Babysitting resulted in stories about their own misspent youth and that of their children. Shopping gave them a chance to haggle and banter with the merchant class. The overall impression was two of the eldest members of the village rolling up their sleeves and getting things done. Honestly, they could not have asked for a bigger public relations coup.

More importantly than the public opinion they were amassing at home, both Homura and Koharu were counting on rumors of their treatment to reach the Daimyo soon. Merchants and their families likes to gossip, even in a ninja village, and stories of the two honored elders working on D-rank missions was sure to spread. Since they were both decommissioned at the moment, it was not like they could order a Chunin courier to deliver a message to the capitol. Instead, they would have to rely upon the Fire County's rumor mill to do the job for them. It was cumbersome but once they finished their trials, in spite of Jiraiya's interference, a proper correspondence would be established. Then they could strive to get things under control once again.

Hearing a howl, the elderly ninja tensed. Much to his irritation, a familiar cat once again jumped out of nowhere, only to latch to his face. Before he could call for Koharu to remove the beast, a vine seemed to wrap around his torso. That was when the creature leapt away, the disgraced Kurama clan head in hot pursuit. Trapped in the Genjutsu, all Homura could do was mentally rage. While it would not do to aggravate someone as important as Unkai, Homura still wished he could move his hands to throw a fireball. That would show the fool not to throw his techniques like a rookie Chunin. Killing the stupid animal in the blast would just be icing on the cake.

-----

Authors Notes

Heh heh heh, um hi there!

Now I know that some of you are probably a little annoyed with me. Going of the radar for nearly two months, neglecting to respond to anyone's reviews, and staying rather silent would irritate anyone. Let me just employ one of the oldest and greatest martial arts techniques ever developed within anime or manga. (If you recognize this, I will give you a digital cookie)

**Crouch of the Wild Tiger**

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

The sad fact is that is that the last few weeks have been completely and utterly nuts. First, an old friend of mine was visiting about four hours away, so I had to plan a road trip. Then, I had to deal with a convention that I had been looking forward to all year (which kicked butt on numerous levels) and finally I've been scrambling to get a plane ticket for a graduation hundreds of miles away. Not to mention my bathroom flooded. All in all, this has been a very stressful period of Real Life, and it has impacted my writing schedule horribly. -_-;;;

Not to say I have not been writing. Believe it or not, I am actually writing a number of little projects to combat a small case of writers block. I might have held off on this a little longer, but I wanted something up for the anniversary of the story's publication. I actually have been looking into about three other projects, including a sequel to Eye Envy. Also, I am in the middle of courting a new beta reader, and can only hope that she will help me bring this work to greater heights!

That being said, I'm glad that so many of the recent reviews have been positive. Hearing from my favorites (you know who you are) and the testimonials of those who ignored sleep to finish as always was extremely flattering. I can only hope to finish this before you all get bored with me -_-;;;

Speaking of finishing, I thought you might all want a little perspective. I actually have an outline as to how this story will progress, and many of you might be surprised to know we are at the rough half way point. Yes, this is only half way done! As things stand now, there might be a sequel, but let me get through the meat and bones of the challenge first. All I can promise at this point will be grander battles and more intense confrontations. So please hold out just a little longer.

Now, for the next chapter! Surprising reunions and complex relationships are often more trouble than they are worth. That does not mean they don't happen! Stay tuned!


	31. Teamwork and Trust!

No I don't own Naruto. Although, I have to admit that a new challenge is buzzing around in my head.

Chapter Twenty Eight: Teamwork and Trust!

Observing the rapidly growing landmass in front of them, Tsunade pushed down her chakra as much as she dared. They had no indication that this base was well defended, but she always took the path of caution when dealing with Orochimaru. Signaling to Hinata, the blonde Kunoichi directed her to find a safe and isolated place to begin scouting. Thankfully, methods and techniques for blocking the Byakugan were limited and expensive, so it was doubtful they would be hindered like last time. She had met ninja like this Amachi before, and would bet her shirt that every coin that Isaribi had acquired went directly into medical supplies. Someone that obsessed would not waste money on specialized security measures, instead relying completely upon the isolation of the lab to remain undetected. As long as everything was finished today, he would not have a chance to learn from his mistake.

Taking the lead, Hinata quickly located a small ledge near the southern end of the island. Between the ninja and the various animals it was a little cramped, but they made due as best as they could. Directing her eyes towards the island, the young Kunoichi frowned. "I think that I've located the lab. It appears to be centered in a series of caverns connected to the ocean. Unfortunately, all the access points appear to be underwater. I cannot make out any defenses in particular, but they could be hidden somehow." Pointing upwards, the veins around her eyes flexed again. "There appear to be some ventilation shafts cut into the rock of the island, but they are far too small to use for access. If there are any entrances above ground, they are either sealed or very well hidden."

Grunting, Naruto began to reach for his shirt. "Well, if there aren't any entrances above ground, and Hinata-chan can't see defenses in place, why don't I send in some clones to secure our access? That way we can go in and take those jerks down!" Apparently oblivious to the looks he was getting, the young blonde began undoing ties on his clothing. Shaking her head, Tsunade grabbed his arm to stop the disrobing. Watching Hinata's face heat up with all the bare skin might have been amusing, but now was not the time for such things.

"While it's not a bad plan Naruto, there are a few flaws. Firstly, this is a base that was established by Orochimaru. Despite his apparent obsession with the Sharingan, there is no doubt that he studied and continues to study every kekkei genkai he can. Therefore, even if the Byakugan can't see traps of defenses, then that doesn't mean there aren't any. Secondly, the enemy knows we're coming, and have probably set some sort of traps. The best idea is simply to bypass their security measures altogether." Turning to the blushing Chunin, the Hokage cleared her throat. "Hinata, I want you to lead us to the closest hallway in the complex. I'll take care of the rest."

Shaking herself out of a stupor, the girl led them to a stone wall about ten feet above the ocean's surface. "There's a hallway under about three feet of stone. I don't see any advanced traps, and there aren't any chakra signatures within the range of my sight." Nodding, Tsunade directed everyone back a bit. This part was going to be a bit messy. Rearing back her fist, the Kunoichi launched a punch, shattering the stone into rubble. Sometimes it was rather useful to be a universal lock pick.

Seeing no movement, she signaled the others to join her. "Alright, I want to proceed with caution. However, they definitely know we're here now, so speed is essential. Hinata will take point to try to find any enemies or traps. Remember that an innocent civilian is at risk here at the hands of two traitors and allies of Orochimaru. Be prepared for anything, and move out!" Nodding, the team launched itself into the darkened hallways.

* * *

Watching her Genin walk down the street, Kurenai allowed her gaze to focus upon her two younger Kunoichi once again. Ever since the incident at the Kurama safe house, Yakumo had been coming to training with Team Eight on a regular basis. Neither Shino nor Kiba seemed to have a problem with the girl, and Sakura was slowly but surely becoming her closest friend. On some level, the Genjutsu mistress was relieved that such a bond was forming so quickly between the Genin. Her own reaction to their presence was honestly not something that she was overly proud of.

Despite the nature of Sakura's introduction to the team, Kurenai had developed a soft spot for the young girl. While her overall abilities were not that impressive, the Kunoichi had proven herself up to the task of improving. Coupled with the personal Genjutsu training she had provided, and it was only natural for a stronger bond to develop. However, seeing that apparition defeating Yakumo's inner demons had been a wakeup call. The Sensei realized that she did not understand the Genin as well as she thought and that was a shock. No matter what her good intentions were, Kurenai had felt a distance between them ever since the incident, and that saddened her.

Luckily, Yakumo had risen to the occasion, filling in where she had faltered. Even with a couple of years out of practice, the heiress was a still a prodigy of illusions beyond most Jonin. Whenever Sakura had trouble with a particular technique, the other girl was quick to explain and offer advice. Likewise, whenever the physical conditioning and drills got to be too much, Sakura was quick to keep the other girl's spirit up once her own stamina gave out. Although Kurenai still tried to be there as much as possible, she was almost glad to allow the two to work their own issues out. Honestly, as much of a role model as she tried to be, both needed a peer to relate with.

However, as their Sensei and mentor, Kurenai refused to allow either girl to be left alone completely. As a Jonin, she would put her own fears aside if it insured their safety. Over time, she had watched both begin to find the limitations of their relationships, and work to improve them. Sakura had been quick to introduce her new friend to Ino, and the three were often thick as thieves. Of course, keeping Anko from teaching Yakumo or Sakura any of her personal special techniques was a bit of a challenge. Both were too young for that sort of behavior!

Still, like any female role model, she knew the secrets of team bonding. While her male students might be a little annoyed with her, neither seemed to be having identity crisis s either. Standing in front of a local clothing store, Kurenai faced her Genin. "Alright, it's time for a team building exercise. Due to various reasons, this particular shop has decided to leave the village." Most likely due to someone switching out half the stock with edible cloth and activating the sprinkler system last week during a falsely reported sale. "Your assignment is to find the best possible deal here to test your infiltration and recon abilities. After you make your purchases, we'll head off to lunch and compare notes."

* * *

Rushing through the complex, Shizune fought to keep her bile down. After gaining entrance to Orochimaru's base, they had wasted no time in using Hinata's Byakugan to the fullest. However, the uniform temperature coupled with the humidity from the sea air made it difficult to see anything. Therefore, the team was forced to do a room by room search for any signs of the inhabitants, much to their displeasure. Apparently, Amachi was not overly concerned with cleaning up after the results of his failures.

While some of the labs were simply filled with broken equipment and dust, others were coated with chemicals and body fluids. Unfamiliar claw marks along with broken test tubes only painted a worse picture that before. However, the further into the complex they ventured, the cleaner and more intact the materials. Observing unfortunate souls with amputated limbs or inhumane grafts on their bodies turned even the capable medical ninja's stomach. With her detailed knowledge of the human body, Shizune could only imagine just what pain and horror the subjects had to feel before their deaths. The seven year old with both arms ripped off and gills prominently on display nearly brought her to tears.

Stopping at Hinata's hand signal, the group tensed for action. "I would recommend that we start slowing down, Tsunade-sensei. The support structures look unstable and one good hit could bring down the entire place on our heads." Nodding in response, Tsunade gestured for everyone to continue at the slower pace, blatantly ignoring Naruto's frustrated expression. Shizune had to admit that, if the situation was less dangerous, she would have thought it adorable.

Turning a corner, they were surprised to see the next hallway was lit with soft green lights. Cut into the stone were another series of labs, but these appeared to be completely operational. Unlike the beginning work they observed before, the team was treated to the sight of the figurative final products. Covered in scales and heavily muscled, each creature was clearly dangerous with sharp fangs, claws and numerous appendages. The Kunoichi in her could appreciate the brutal efficiency while the medic in her made the feelings of nausea all the more drastic.

Unfortunately, she only had a moment to observe before the entire complex seemed to shake at its base. Losing her footing, Shizune rolled backwards, wary of falling debris. Hana and her dogs jumped to the side growling while Tsunade stood firm, feet anchored by chakra. Hearing a cry, the brunette had only a moment to watch a Hinata and Naruto jump forward to miss a falling boulder. Before she could blink, the two Chunin were gone, separated by a wall of stone.

Observing her mentor gear up to punch through the obstruction, Shizune grabbed the blonde's arm. "Tsunade-sama, please hold on! Punching through the wall could bring down more of this place than before. Besides, if any shrapnel hit Naruto and Hinata, they could be seriously injured!" Turning to the wall, Shizune called out. "Naruto, Hinata, are you two alright?" An aftershock was her only reply.

Cocking her head, Hana sighed. "Alright, I can hear them. They sound a little shaken up, but alright. Let's see if Naruto has been paying attention to his lessons." Raising her hand, the Inuzuka pounded three times on the wall. "Uzumaki! Are you two alright?" Biting her lip, the medic relaxed at her confirming nod. "Ok, Naruto says that they're fine. Hinata is trying to look around for an alternative route, but doesn't want to set off another cave in. Hold on a minute." Frowning, Hana signaled everyone to be completely silent. "Hinata's sees the girl in a lab thirty meters down the hallway and to the right. I guess the shift in decor allowed her a greater contrast in her vision. They want to know if they should continue to try and reach us, or take care of Isaribi first."

Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade-sama tapped her arm in apparent irritation. Shizune had seen the same thing happen when the dice went south. "Based upon the quality of goons we've seen so far, I'm not too worried about their chances. Actually, I'm more concerned about a possible betrayal from Isaribi herself. However, it doesn't look like we've got much choice. The safety of the girl and shutting this place down still has priority. Send them on Hana. We'll have to catch up."

Unhappy with the choice, Shizune began to look around for an alternate entrance when a mechanical sound caught her attention. Turning around, the group was treated to the sudden appearance of dozens of creatures, previously locked away under glass. Readying her senbon, the medic firmed her stance. It appeared that they had underestimated Amachi. Hopefully, they would show how much the bastard had underestimated them!

* * *

Looking at her new friend through the racks of clothing, Yakumo sighed. Ever since they had started working together on Team Eight, the mistress of Genjutsu had wondered about the source of the pink-haired Kunoichi's power. Sakura was improving every day, but nothing she demonstrated in practice explained her victory over the Ido spirit. She had fought against that darkness for years, yet this slip of a girl squashed it in seconds. It simply boggled the mind.

After reviewing the situation, the only thing that stood out was her sudden boost seeing that figure in orange. Yet, whenever Yakumo tired to bring him up, Sakura closed up like a vice. The most the young prodigy was able to discover was his identity as her old teammate who had to leave Konoha under difficult circumstances. Latter checking with Kurenai-sensei, Yakumo was shocked to discover the boy was Uzumaki Naruto.

While she had never met the boy herself, Yakumo was warned from a young age to avoid him at all costs. Even her parents were cautious about his reputation, stating that he was a dangerous good for nothing punk. As an heiress, she was supposed to avoid such bad influences. Still, even in the isolation of her retreat she had to say the stories of his antics sounded more amusing than malicious. She was particularly impressed by his ability to deface the Hokage monument in broad daylight without anyone noticing until the end.

Finding out that Sakura, subconsciously at least, found him so inspirational only increased her curiosity. After all, such an image completely contrasted with her previous information. Mindful of her friend and teammates silence on the subject, Yakumo began to make her own inquiries. While she was not given a lot of time to herself these days, what little she managed to find out around the village only increased her confusion. Uzumaki Naruto was becoming an enigma wrapped in a shadow hidden behind a steal door. Even for a ninja, that was an impressive accomplishment.

Somehow, despite being publicly failed in the ninja qualification exam for a simple clone technique, he still graduated with a Jonin level skill of Shadow Clones. His team was the first that the infamous copy ninja had ever passed, despite nearly five years of rejecting other candidates. He had survived a mission against an A rank missing ninja, fought off the Hyuga genius , Suna Jinchuuriki, helped discover the Godaime and was rumored to be a potential apprentice of the interim Rokudaime. Either he was a savant or the Ninja Academy completely missed a potential genius of epic proportions.

The old hatred against also seemed to be fading away as time progressed. While there was a core of ninja and civilians who hated bringing him up, the overall feelings towards the blonde where positive. He was even endorsed by the personal tutor of Konohamaru, the Sandaime's grandson. Yet all of this begged the question; what drove him out of Konoha in the first place? There was something people were hiding, and it was driving her nuts.

Thinking about Sakura, Yakumo sighed. She would bet her inheritance that her new friend had a very good idea as to what drove her old teammate out of the village, Godaime in tow, but any attempts to ask were met with uncomfortable silence. Kurenai-sensei had warned that it was a difficult subject that Sakura was still having trouble with. Mindful about their friendship and wanting to support her friend, the young prodigy decided to restrain her curiosity for the moment. However, as her friend, Yakumo refused to allow Sakura to wallow in her confusion alone. One day she would both have her answers. Until then, Yakumo would try to help the girl as best as she could. Plus, it did not hurt the boy was rather cute in a foxy sort of way.

* * *

Deactivating her Byakugan for a moment, Hinata caught her breath. Keeping her abilities active for so long was a little draining, but the training with Tsunade had minimized the strain and increased her recovery time. Already, she could feel her chakra stabilizing and the ache of continual activation ebbing. Within thirty seconds she was fit and ready to continue. Nodding to Naruto, she reactivated her doujutsu and continued down the hallway.

However, even with her activated doujutsu, the Kunoichi felt rather than saw Naruto's doubt. Sometimes, the blonde's feelings could envelop him like a miasma. "Don't worry, Naruto-kun, I'm sure that the others will be fine. Tsunade-sama is one of the Sannin after all, and Shizune-sempai and Hana-sempai aren't pushovers either. If we're going to save Isaribi-san, we could not afford to wait around." Still unused to being the upbeat one, Hinata was comforted by Naruto's visible relaxation. Every such victory gave her that much hope for the future.

Tensing, Hinata signaled for a full stop. "Naruto-kun, I've got Isaribi in my sights. She's ten minutes down this corridor, bound to an examination table, but with no sign of harm. However, I also see at least three Chunin and one Jonin level chakra signatures. This has got to be a trap." Running through the possibilities, Hinata winces. It is extremely unlikely that this girl was an unwilling participant. There were simply not enough signs of a struggle or containment. No matter what Naruto-kun though, they were effectively running into a lion's den.

Growling, Naruto-kun made his deep thought face, usually done after a particularly difficult question during their anatomy lessons. "While it's likely that this is a trap, there is no way to know if Isaribi is a willing participant of this or being coerced. Still, even if this is a trap, the element of surprise is gone, so we can probably turn the tables on them. Besides, our mission has not changed." Smiling, the blonde clapped her on the back. "Any way s even if they outnumber us, we'll still kick their butts!"

Blushing, Hinata could not help but nod at his confidence. He was rarely proven wrong after all. "All right, Naruto-kun, but we should still be careful. Despite appearances, Isaribi could still get us if she's a plant." Shoulders slumping, the male Chunin took the lead. Now that their target was sighted, there was no reason to have her take the lead. Besides, as much as it pained her, Naruto could take damage that would kill her a hundred times over.

Turning around the corner, the shy girl frowned at the sight of the lab entrance. With the limited temperature variance, she had not noticed that the door was a massive hunk of metal, fitted into the walls. However, before she could look for a control panel, Naruto was already in motion. As she watched on in shock, the blonde formed a swirling ball of compressed chakra, glowing like a gem in her enhanced sight. Despite its destructive potential, Hinata could honestly state later that it was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. With a cry of "Rasengan" Naruto blasted through the entrance like a gust of air.

The lab was as twisted as they had come to expect from their tour of the complex. Shadowed in corners with eerieelectrical lighting and glowing screens, numerous samples were suspended in various fluids along the walls. Under a spotlight, the bound form of Isaribi waited, flanked by two other figures. Hinata recognized one of them from the Chunin preliminaries as Kabuto's teammate, but the other was a mystery. An unassuming man with oddly slick skin and a pony tail, the man could have easily fit in any hospital in the Elemental Nations. Only the gleam in his eyes marked him as truly dangerous. Hinata then knew that this was the infamous Amachi.

Smiling, as if teenagers blew through solid steel on a daily basis, the figure bowed mockingly. "I wish you greetings Hyuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto, apprentices of the legendary Tsunade of the Sannin. I am Doctor Amachi of the humble nation of Sea Country. Since your Sensei seems to be occupied, I wonder if we might chat for a bit." Looking at the screen Amachi indicated Hinata's heart sank. It seemed like the others would be busy with their own problems for a while, if those monsters had anything to say about it.

* * *

Noticing Yakumo looking in her direction with a familiar look on her face, Sakura ducked behind a sales rack sighing. While she was really coming to appreciate her fellow Genin's friendship and support, there were times that things got a little awkward. In all honesty, she had trouble explaining and understanding her own feelings towards her old teammate these days. Trying to explain the complexities of Team Seven's dynamic to the other girl just made things that much more uncomfortable. Besides, Naruto was not the only reason to avoid the heiress after one of those looks.

Ever since the incident at the safe house, they had been spending more and more time hanging out. While most of it was simply harmless bonding common between young Kunoichi, some of the questions were a little more involved. It was clear that something during the attack had sparked Yakumo's interest, and Sakura was at a loss to understand the attention. Remembering some of the preferences of her classmates during puberty, Sakura had made a few delicate inquiries that were thankfully rebuffed. Not that there was anything wrong with such a lifestyle, but the idea that Yakumo might have a crush on her instead of Naruto could have wrecked the team dynamic. Not that she was not flattered by the idea, it just was not for her.

Still, after thinking it over, Sakura had determined that she was just trying to figure out how that awful Ido creature had been defeated. It was fairly reasonable, and Sakura could not fault the girl for her curiosity. Honestly, she was wondering the same things. However, Sakura could not figure out how to breech the topic without getting thrown out of the ninja progam all together. She had no illusions that her suspicions about her mental state would be enough for the loss of her headband.

The second personality had been with her for years, offering support even when everyone else failed. The pink haired girl had never really questioned its presence, assuming it was just a mental trick she created to help focus in her pursuit of Sasuke. But if Inner Sakura had enough personal focus to act with autonomy in a mental attack of that level, it had to be more than a simple way of cheering herself up. Without prompting or direction, the construct had mercilessly squashed a demon with years of experience and power over the very definition of reality. If not properly dealt with, maybe it would be Sakura fighting for her very soul in a few years.

Still, with Yakumo's current interest in Naruto, Sakura had a little breathing room. But the focus on the absent blonde had its own problems. Despite the fact that she really had no claim or power over the knucklehead anymore, Sakura was feeling somewhat overprotective whenever his name was brought up. Whenever Kiba would make a cutting remark or Yakumo related a rather inflated story of his old exploits, the young Kunoichi would tense up in irritation. Thinking it over, Sakura was shocked to discover that he had wormed his way into her life as a very precious person. But whenever she tried to really understand what their real relationship was, she would get frustratingly stuck. Yakumo's inquiries only made it that much more difficult to understand for some reason.

Still, despite all the stresses that this new relationship caused, Sakura could not help but enjoy the experience. Yakumo was swiftly integrating into the group of the remaining rookies, and was adding a new and enjoyable angle to the old group dynamic. With another girl around to talk with who understood some of the issues isolation and difference caused in her upbringing, Sakura was coming to terms with her choices and the choices of others much easier. In addition, helping each other become stronger was forming bonds that no amount of suspicion or confusion could undo. In the end, both were better for the friendship. Shaking her head at the weird train of thought, Sakura began to look for a good deal in earnest. Lately, it had been nearly impossible to get your monies worth in the shops and she could not afford to neglect this opportunity for a bargain!

* * *

Growling at the continued onslaught of medical monstrosities, Tsunade reared back with another mighty punch. Utilizing Jutsu could only damage the tunnel, and put the others at risk. So the three Kunoichi found themselves in a furious battle of metal and fist against twisted sculptures of Orochimaru's devoted follower. Luckily, between Inuzuka fury, Shizune's accuracy and her own power, the enemies barely made much of a warm up. The real danger was damaging them too much to be useful later on in studying Amachi's methods and possibly curing Isaribi.

Watching another creature with blue skin and sharp claws approach, Tsunade sighed at the senseless loss of life. Reaching up, Tsunade suppressed another wave of nausea as she ripped the enemies head clear from its shoulders, allowing a wave of gore to splash across the battlefield. While these troops were clearly considered cannon fodder, the purely scientific part of her mind had to admire the efficiency of their design. The medic in her, however, renewed all plans on killing Orochimaru the next time they fought. The monsters had once been human beings twisted into unthinking and unreasoning tanks of death and destruction. Besides, with how much damage they could take, she might even chip a nail if this kept up for much longer! That was clearly unforgivable!

Hearing another series of mechanical hisses, Tsunade felt her eyebrow twitch in irritation. At least Amachi was smart enough to release the failed experiments gradually to maximize their effectiveness. Without that, the husks would have piled up upon one another in their desperation to die. It also gave her enough time to seal the enemy corpses as they went. She was no Jiraiya, but every bit of data they could gather here could be vital to the future of the village. Besides, if they slipped on the gore these things seemed to be stuffed with, someone could twist and ankle of something. Unless there were a thousand of enemies hidden down here, she was not anticipating even working up a sweat!

Still, while it had been smooth sailing so far, she was really worried about how long this battle was taking. The snake bastard was tricky, and who knew what other tricks he had outfitted this place with? While he was nowhere near as damaged as a few months ago, Naruto was still a Chunin under her command with only a single Kunoichi for backup entering a hostile territory. She would not be happy until she was ready to fight alongside the blonde against this twisted creature who made these freaks in the first place. That way she could at least keep him a little bit safer.

Watching Hana get sideswiped by a sudden claw strike, Tsunade hurried over to provide support. No matter how worried she was about her apprentices, she had to have faith that they could handle themselves. In the meantime, her allies here and now needed her help or they could be seriously injured. Tiring of the monotony of constantly killing enemies with her fists, the blonde Hokage ripped a set of green claws off the nearest corpse and began swinging it like a club. She was a little rusty with weaponry, but this was a lot simpler than handling Gamabunta's sword. Besides, if she got too bored she might get sloppy and make a mistake. That could simply not be allowed to happen.

Seeing a set of journals knocked into the hallway, Tsunade made a mental note about collecting the materials after they finished up. While the monsters were smashing a lot of the equipment as they went, some could still be useful. While inhumane and completely unethical, she was enough of a ninja to understand the possibilities presented here. If they could reverse engineer some of the work here, the possibilities could be significant. Besides, otherwise she would have to start from scratch when trying to figure out a child adapted to handle gills and deep sea pressure. Getting her mind back on the battle, the Sannin absently dropped the mangled limb before switching back to her fists. It seemed like that brown squid like creature that Shizune had blinded with senbon needed to be put out of its misery.

* * *

Grumbling, Kiba wondered what he had done in a past life to deserve this. While he normally respected and admired his sensei, pretending that a shopping trip was a training exercise was a little over the top. If this was weapons or food shopping he might believe her, but what the hell were he and Shino supposed to find in a freaking clothing boutique? After acting like a pack mule for both his sister and mother over the years, the young ninja had a healthy dislike of clothing shopping. God only knew what would happen with three girls at the same time.

Still, since the selection was so limited for guys, he had no problem checking out his options quickly and efficiently. Really, who the hell would let a leather jacket that cool go for so little? Sure it was kind of big, but he could grow into it. In the meantime, he and Akamaru could enjoy his normal hooded jacket until it wore out. Between that and Shino finding a new pair of backup shades, the males of Team Eight were done in no time.

Unfortunately, as he half expected, the female members of the team were making this into some sort of game. After getting settled into the flow of the shopping, dresses, colors and different styles wwere tired out and discarded quickly and constantly. He and Shino were forced to wait by the entrance while all three compared and contrasted their choices nonstop. The worst part of it though, was he could not even look that closely without getting beat up. Who knew that Naruto was not kidding when he said that Sakura could hit hard? Kiba had always thought he was just playing up to his crush!

Still, it was not like having another Kunoichi on the team was all bad or annoying. Yakumo was a looker, and was really hot covered in sweat after practice. She might not be the strongest physically, but she was definitely in good shape. Of course, he was not crass enough to make a pass at her yet. It would take a little more time and effort before he thought she might be up to it. After all, she was still in recovery and might not be able to keep up with a wild guy like him!

On the other hand, these days Sakura was not too bad herself. Between all the additional training and effort she was putting in lately, the pink haired girl actually had a bit of meat on her bones. Although she was a little lacking in some areas, Kiba had to admit she had a nice butt. While he might have seen Hinata as a surrogate little sister, these two had no such distinction. once things settled down in the village a bit more, he might just have to make a pass or two. As a healthy and active male, it was his sacred right and duty to try to pick up hot girls. It was practically spelled out in their health texts!

Hearing a rustle, Kiba looked up only to cringe. The female members of the team were all arrayed before them, carrying a number of packages. Smirking at his clear discomfort, Kurenai-sensei stated, "Since you two appear to be done, why not help us with our purchases? After we settle up at the register, I think it would be a good idea to go get some lunch." Trying not to notice the frilly fabric sticking out of the assorted packagwa, Kiba followed along with a silent Shino at his side. If any of the Kunoichi even thought he was picturing them dressed up, he would never survive the backlash. He would just have to put off any thoughts of a personal fashion show later when it would be safe. Noticing he was falling behind, Kiba decided to hurry up. After all that standing around, he was actually starving.

* * *

Carefully observing the forces both obvious and in hiding, Hinata frowned. In such close range, any tenseness or discomfort on Isaribi's part should have shown up like the moon at midnight. However, the young and attractive teenager was relaxed, even with a needle hidden in her hand. Either she had made a decision already and was simply playing along in resignation or she was an active participant of the trap. Still, the young Hyuga kept her peace, knowing that Naruto-kun did not need the distraction. They were outnumbered by at least five to one, and would need every advantage they could get.

Looking down his nose, the scientist visibly preened at their attention. "Ah, this is why Konoha is clearly past its prime. You allow such simple connections to control and manipulate your actions. Orochimaru-sama clearly had the right idea when he decided to defect. Now, once he joins us, not only can I present one of the few to match his brilliance but the means to control her. Between the three of us, nothing is impossible and my dream of a new and more powerful kekkei genkai to rule the seas will be a reality!" Trying to keep a blank expression, Hinata could not help but sweat at his maniacal laughter. What medical ninja actually tried to act like a B-film mad doctor?

Gritting his teeth, Naruto-kun fumed, "How the hell do you think that you'll get away with that? Hinata and I are a ton stronger than some washed up quack and snake flunky! Now either you release Isaribi and turn yourselves in, or me and Hinata-chan are going to kick your asses so hard your grand parents will feel it!" Feeling a warmth building in her chest, the Kunoichi smiled. That sort of faith and determination were among the top reasons that admired Naruto-kun in the first place.

Noticing that both Amachi and his accomplice seemed annoyed with Naruto-kun's bravado, Hinata impishly decided to twist the knife. "Really, if they are anywhere near as pathetic as their friend this should be no problem at all. Yoroi only took, what, fifteen minutes to break and dispose of? Shizune-sempai was particularly interested in my suggestion with the needle to the diaphragm." Seeing the blonde smiling along, Hinata knew he had caught on to her idea. No matter how much stronger or smarter he became, Naruto-kun would always be a trickster at heart.

Unfortunately, Amachi apparently did not share their sense of humor. "Oh, you act all tough, but I know the truth. Both of you are simply pathetic Genin who were promoted over politics. When faced against the elite of Orochimaru's forces, you will stand no chance of success! Now prepare to fall!" Gesturing grandly, the medical ninja snapped his fingers with the drama of a stage performer. Instantly, the three hidden ninja Hinata had warned the others about earlier made their appearance.

The first figure was a tall man with sharp, thick eyebrows and strong angular features. Carrying a pair of sheers, his stance was confident but focused to Hinata's practiced eyes. The second enemy was hunched over, with oversized front teeth and earthen skin and hair tones. While brutish in appearance, she was shocked that this ugly figure was actually a Kunoichi despite the lack of physical evidence and upkeep. The third was a bulkier, bald man with a scar over his right eye and eye brows that would make Lee green with envy. Each of the figures had chakra levels of high Chunin to low Jonin, but nothing else was particularly interesting. However, that did not mean Hinata dropped her guard. As members of Orochimaru's forces, who knew what sorts of tricks they could accomplish?

Pointing his odd weapon at the two, the first ninja began to speak. "We of the Fuuma clan are among Orochimaru's strongest supporters. Lay down your weapons and surrender unless you wish to be destroyed. Our master has..." Suddenly, the man ended his speech with shock as both he and his compatriots gaped at Naruto-kun! Turning, Hinata was shocked to see similar signs of recognition on her fellow Chunin's face. Pointing at one another, the four figures shouted out, "YOU!" simultaneously. Blinking, Hinata did her best to hide any signs of confusion. What the heck was going on here?

* * *

Taking another bite of her noodles, Sakura noticed Kurenai-sensei smirking lightly. While rarely cold, Sensei rarely allowed herself to show that much emotion. In fact, the bravest recruits knew her as the Ice Queen of Konoha, a title she wore without complaint. Yet ever since leaving the store, the woman seemed to be just a little too pleased about something. Noting a raised eyebrow, Sakura blushed and returned to her meal. Pleased or not, Kurenai-sensei was still a Jonin, and the Genin was not foolish enough to think her observations went unnoticed.

Still, the young Kunoichi was curious about what the older woman had picked up. After leaving the store, Kurenai-sensei had wasted no time in sealing their packages before leading the team to Ichiraku's. Ravenous after nearly three hours of shopping, none of them took the time to be curious about the older woman's odd behavior. Still, after eating two bowls of ramen before enjoying a third, Sakura was really getting curious. The nostalgia and excellent service of the stand was simply not distracting enough to draw away her attention. Although explaining the pros and cons of the menu to Yakumo while listening to Shino and Kiba banter was surprisingly a lot of fun.

Draining her bowl, the young Genin was distracted by her Sensei clearing her throat. "Well, I definitely believe that today was an extremely productive day. All of you did an excellent job working within the limitations of the challenge. Although I really do believe that it will be a while before you can pull of leather Kiba." Chuckling at his blush, Kurenai-sensei gifted the Genins with one of her rare smiles. "Although I have to admit a slight bit of subterfuge in today's lesson. I had a slightly personal reason for suggesting to shop, as silly as you might find it. It seemed like an excellent opportunity to continue one of Team Eight's standing traditions." Confused, Sakura focused as much attention on her Sensei as possible. This could be interesting.

Reaching for one of her sealing scrolls, the Jonin continued to explain. "While we are all members of Konoha, and thus comrades, the members of any particular team becomes a second family. While you can love or hate them, these are people you spend years around, learning, sweating and bleeding together. The bonds can turn romantic or remain platonic, but in the end, you will retain a bond with your teammates that can be nearly impossible to forget." Remembering the good times of Team Seven, Sakura suppressed a tear. She and Naruto would always be close, but Sasuke had made his choice. Now she could only regret what could have been rather than what had been lost.

Holding up a pair of packages, Kurenai-sensei smiled. "Since your inclusion in Team Eight, Sakura and Yakumo, I have been pleased with both your drive and focus. Although the circumstances that brought you to us were unfortunate, I don't want you to feel unwanted. After all your hard work, I believe that it is time to declare those intentions to the village. After my first three students were passed, I chose an element of their uniforms that would be both practical but also a symbol of their unity. Today, I extend that same symbol to both of you. Wear them with pride."

Hands trembling, Sakura opened the paper with trepidation. In her lap was a dark grey jacket with short sleeves and crimson highlights. Numerous small pockets lined the interior, perfect for exploding tags and light weaponry. Looking over at Yakumo, she was surprised by a lighter grey jacket of thinner material. The sleeves went past her hands, hiding any gestures or hand signs she might make from unobservant enemies. While not her first choice, Sakura could not help but admit that both looked like the sort of thing that a serious Kunoichi would wear.

Feeling the Jonin on her shoulder, the pink haired girl was shocked by the contact. "I want you both to understand what this means. The road ahead will be difficult and dangerous, but I now trust that both of you will be up to the task. When others see you dressed in these jackets, it will allow them to know that, no matter where you go from now on, you will always be a member of my team and thus my family. No matter what others say or show you in the future, I want you to understand that I am proud of what you have managed to become." Feeling actual if somewhat muted, acceptance from the older Kunoichi and her teammates, Sakura did her best not to cry. She had not felt this level of belonging since the loss of Team Seven. Looking into the eyes of Yakumo, Kiba, Shino and Kurenai-sensei, the girl let loose a smile reminiscent of Naruto himself.

* * *

Author's Notes

Yay! It has been far too long!

I swear I have been picking away at this work for months. For some reason, the chapter just refused to flow properly. I blame my broken CD player. I know that a few of you have probably been unhappy with my progress, but inspiration struck! All of a sudden, new ideas were bouncing away in my head, and I had to get a few down before they were lost forever. For a sample of my insanity, please check out the three new projects I have posted, if you have not done so already. I swear it's worth a few of your brain cells.

For those of you who voted, and even those of you who did not, I thank everybody for their support. **Escape from the Hokage's H****at **won in a stunning landslide, and I could not be prouder! It is simply another reminder of my awesome fan base, who makes this all the more fun. Please, take this moment to stand and give a standing ovation. Just avoid disturbing anyone if you are reading in a library, please. Believe me, you have earned it!

I know that many people have been complaining about the lack of section breaks. I swear that I included them, but the site simply removed them without notice or reason. I will try to prevent this in future chapters, but please don't ask me to go and redo all the previous releases. Believe it or not I do like to sleep every now and then. -_-;;;

Oh, and kudos to those who recognized the Ranma reference. I'm sorry if I missed your cookie. To see this idea in action, please check out the previously mentioned projects I released while getting my brain around this chapter.

Now, for the next chapter, Hinata displays a skill that any magical girl would give her jewelry for. Stay tuned!


	32. The Six Swirling Blossoms

No I don't own Naruto. Although discovering all those secret fan theories about his heritage are actually coming true is making me wonder who really owns him at this point.

Chapter Twenty Nine: The Six Swirling Blossoms

_Running through Rice Country, the group of transformed shadow clones each took the time to enjoy the peaceful view. They had been traveling for nearly two days with no rest, and knew that their remaining chakra supplies would only allow another few hours at best, even after the decoy had transformed back into Naruto to conserve energy. Before dispelling, each knew that they had to make it obvious that they had gone through the area, or the whole point of setting up a false trail would be for naught. Still, the opportunity to stretch out and work a bit on chakra control kept things from getting too boring. In fact, the transformed Tsunade clone was discovering that the amount of control to run with its special additions was nearly as tricky as using chakra to walk on water while sealed by Orochimaru!_

_Trying to figure out how to make an impact, the Tsunade clone was caught off guard by a commotion off the side of the road. Looking up, the fake blonde was treated to the sight of a frantic teenage girl, trying to shift away. Realizing that a collision was eminent, the apparently elder woman tried to slow down, but misjudged the amount of momentum she had built up. Fighting to remain intact, the shadow clone was tripped up by the unknown teenager before falling on her back. Managing to keep in one piece, the clone tried to move only to realize she was pinned with an unfamiliar weight on her chest. It appeared that the strange girl with orange hair had landed on top and used the two most obvious handles to stabilize her position. The end result, however, probably would have made Jiraiya's day for at least a year._

_Trying to ignore the odd sensations that the grope had generated, the blonde clone pushed the blushing teen off her. Feeling her own face heat up, the fake went into her best imitation of the blonde Hokage. "Alright kid, what the hell do you think that you're doing? You cannot just launch yourself at people without consequence! Do you have any idea who I am?" Seeing the blood leave the girl's face, the clone began to feel a little bad. It looked like an honest mistake, and it was not like she was going to last that much longer anyways. There was no reason to scare an innocent girl half to death._

_Gripping her arm, the orange haired girl sniffed. "Please, you have to help me! Ninja are trying to capture me, and if we don't get out of here, they'll do all sorts of evil things to my body! I can't end up as one of Orochimaru's experiments!" Eyes widening at that statement, the clone shared a look with its squad. Days of running out in the open, and now they get to deal with Oto ninja after exhausting their chakra. It would not be so bad, if not for the fact that they had someone to protect now!_

_However, they had apparently been on the road for too long. Three ninja suddenly burst from the foliage, hot on the teen's trail. The leader, a man with sharp eyebrows and a set of sheers as a weapon glowered at the group. "I don't know who you think you are, but these lands are under the protection of our lord Orochimaru-sama! Return the girl and prepare yourselves for interrogation! The Fuuma clan will not allow spies within our country!" The bald, scared man beside him cracked his knuckles while the ugliest bastard any of the clones had ever seen formed a hand sign. It was clear that this would not end without a clash._

_Reviewing her options, the Tsunade clone smirked. She might not be able to fight like the Hokage, but that did not mean she was defenseless. There was one technique variation that was sure to knock these bastards on their asses. Pushing the girl behind her, the clone quickly made a familiar sign. Within a second, the self proclaimed Fuuma ninja were facing two clones with the face of Tsunade of the Sannin. Before the shocked enemies could begin their attack, the two clones promptly began to make out, shedding clothing in their wake. Presented with two hot blonde Kunoichi nearly topless, two of the enemy ninja quickly fell to the intensity of their nose bleeds. The ugly hunchback was apparently so stunned by the audacity of the group, that he did not even react when the Naruto and Transformed Hinata clones knocked him out from behind._

_Mindful that the effect would not last too long, the Tsunade clone quickly grabbed the shocked unknown teenager and continued to run. Signaling the others to keep the three enemy ninja busy, the blonde turned to her passenger and smiled. "So, is there anywhere that I can drop you off or are you just looking for some company?" Seeing her shocked look, the busty clone shrugged and continued to run like the hounds of hell where on her heels. They were nice enough to look at, but damn it what sort of ninja tried to work in these things outside of the Red Light District?  
_

* * *

"So after my Shadow clone got Sasame-chan back to her family, she was more than willing to explain things to me. It turned out that her cousin Arashi had become one of Orochimaru's main lieutenants in the area, and had left the majority of the clan with a few elite followers. Since she missed him, Sasame-chan tried to infiltrate his base, only to discover he had become the center of a series of Orochimaru's newest experiments. Seeing what he had become, and fearing for her life, Sasame-chan tried to escape as quickly as possible. However, Arashi-teme was not satisfied with that, and did his best to kill her rather than allow her to survive. Luckily, between my clones and how pathetic these guys were, she was able to make a clean break. Before my clone dispelled, it warned the remaining Fuuma to get out of the area. Last thing those guys needed was Orochimaru's army trying to take them out permanently." Pleased with his story of heroism, Naruto did his best to ignore the expressions of his audience. No matter how much stronger he was getting, nothing beat perverts like the good old fashioned Sexy Jutsu!

Grinding his teeth, the leader of the Fuuma ninja formed a fist so fast, each knuckle cracked like thunder. "You think that was funny, brat? Thanks to your meddling, both Arashi-sama and Orochimaru-sama no longer believed in us. It was disgraceful for a ninja to be taken out by such a stupid technique, and our positions were placed at risk! When we failed to recruit or capture the remnants of the remaining Fuuma because of their retreat, Orochimaru simply transferred Arashi-sama away and left us as mere pawns! The future of our clan is now in jeopardy because of your manipulations you bastard and we shall never forgive such an insult!" The reddened faces of the other foreign ninja spoke louder than words of their agreement.

Blinking, the glasses wearing flunky next to Amachi snapped his fingers. "Wait, I heard about you guys! Everyone in the organization knows about the Perverts of Rice Country! You were the only ones strong enough to be Jonin but weak enough to get taken down by a nose bleed." Chuckling, the young man pushed his glasses up his nose. "Are you really sure you can handle these two? After all, the Hyuga brat might let her top come loose, and then you'd be taken right out of the fight."

Grinding his teeth, the bald headed ninja narrowed his eyes. "The brat took us by surprise once, with a Transformation of absurd proportions. There is no way that we will allow that to happen again! Once we capture these two and present them to Orochimaru, our transgression will be forgiven and positions will be restored!" Looking at the fuming scientist, he smirked. "In addition, I am sure that Orochimaru will be more than happy to divert more resources towards your projects Amachi-san. Everybody gets what they want and all it takes is the capture of a couple of children."

Tired of their boasting, Naruto glared right back at their opposition. "You really think it's going to be that easy? Unlike last time, you're not dealing with a few tired Shadow Clones. This time, you've got two of the most kick ass ninja around, ready and pumped to take you on! The real Tsunade is on her way, and it's only a matter of time before she comes to deal with you." Cracking his knuckles, the blonde gave one of his trademarked evil grins. "However, Baa-chan is getting a little on in years, so I would hate to bore her with a bunch of losers like you. All you guys seems to be good at is picking on defenseless girls and civilians. Two Konoha Chunin are more than enough for you trash."

Forming his hand signs with practiced ease, the blonde formed a pack of Shadow Clones, later transforming a few into weapons for the others. "Still, if you are so desperate to prove yourselves better than a couple of clones, than here are a few to get the ball rolling. Unless you think that they all need cleavage to focus your attacks on? If so, I'm sure that I could accommodate you for a couple of bowls of decent ramen. This country just does not know what they're doing when cooking something that incredible." Seeing the three Fuuma ninja getting redder by the second, Naruto quickly got into a defensive stance beside Hinata-chan. He had not used that much trash talk in a fight for a while, but in the end his objective had been met. The majority of enemies were now launching themselves at him, and away from Isaribi-chan. Between his clones and Hinata-chan's efforts, they could rescue the girl before lunch!

* * *

Smirking evilly, Amachi simply watched the battle between the Fuuma and Tsunade's apprentices. While the story the blonde had woven was amusing, watching the elite aid that Orochimaru had sent him fall into a rage was rather irritating. While the Fuuma knew of his plan, they appeared to be so focused on smearing the children into the ground that actually implementing it was beyond their abilities. Still, it kept the brats occupied long enough for him to examine his options. He was hesitant to do anything extreme in such an enclosed space, so careful maneuvering would have to be the plan of the day. Nodding to Misumi to join in, the medical ninja prepared a few senbon. In order to change the flow of battle, timing was everything.

His plan was fairly straightforward. For some odd reason, the Kyuubi child was interested in saving his most successful experiment from further advancement. So, of course being the simpleton that Misumi and Yoroi had described from during the Chunin Exams, he would ignore his target until they were safely outside the lab. However, unknown to the little idiot, Isaribi was ready for him with a needle containing enough knockout drugs to take out an whale. Once they could heard the two children within her range, the girl could easily knock one out while the other fell to their superior numbers. The Fuuma might want the personal satisfaction of taking them out fair and square, but men of science understood the situation much better. It was far safer to take the most direct route to victory after all.

Seeing the Hyuga backing up against the hunchback while the blonde dodged Misumi's elongated arm Amachi tensed in anticipation. There were only a few precious steps from perfect victory! Realizing that his presence might cause them to go in the wrong direction, the medic joined in the fight, carefully herding the two with the others. Besides, there was no reason to show off his full abilities just yet. Unleashing too much power might damage some important experiments within the room. Observing the Chunin slowly edging into the opening he made, he could almost taste victory! Finally, the unconscious Isaribi jumped up right on cue, only to drag the two behind the examination table! What was that little fool thinking?

The disruption in their plan caused all the Oto ninja to halt their advance. In the resulting silence, his experiment's voice was clear as a bell. "This needle was a part of a trap that Amachi set for you. However, I don't want to hurt anybody and don't trust that bastard to keep his part of our bargain. If you really think that Tsunade of the Sannin can cure me, than I beg for you help. Please, get me out of here!" In that moment, all of his perfect plans fell to dust, only to be replaced with a burning anger. How dare that brat think she could get away with this? He would dissect her without pain medication for this betrayal!

Realizing that this shocking turn of events had practically paralyzed his forces, Amachi was quick to regroup. "Hurry you fools! Don't let them get away!" Unfortunately, his actions were too late. With another Rasengan, the blonde carved a doorway through the wall. Furious, the scientist moved as quickly as he could, knowing that they were dangerously close to the edge of the island. If those three managed to find a suitable wall with the Hyuga's Byakugan, then the brats might manage to rejoin forces with Tsunade! That would be cataclysmic for his plans!

Barely hearing the footfalls of his allies, Amachi forced himself to calm down. Despite their unexpected skill, they were still a couple of Chunin and a rouge experiment. He had three low Jonin, his own assistant and a couple of personal trump cards. No longer would they be limited by techniques that would not cause a tunnel collapse or damage equipment. The three children were about to discover that the home field advantage was about to significantly increase in his favor. Allowing a small smirk, the scientist felt his teeth sharpen in anticipation. This was going to be an excellent hunt after all. Surely their use as hostages would not require all limbs remain attached, right? Taking the leg or arm of that blonde brat sounded excellent to him right now.

* * *

Turning another corner, Naruto cursed at the blank wall before him. While he was thankful that Isaribi had thrown her fate in with them, the reactions of Amachi and his flunkies made things that much more difficult. Already he could hear the enemy ninja approaching, a wave of killing intent in their wake. Going with the same philosophy that had gotten him this far in his ninja career, Naruto simply made another Rasengan, before blowing the wall away. Feeling the sea breeze, he smiled in relief. While those jerks had been easy to deal with the last time, he had to admit that the Fuuma clan was a lot better when not distracted by excessive cleavage. But once they could get a little space to cut loose, they would not know what hit them!

Barely slowing down, all three jumped from the hole, a mere ten feet above sea level. He and Hinata had no problem balancing on the surface, but Isaribi dove with barely a pause. Suddenly realizing that their victim was not a ninja, and thus could not walk on water, Naruto was about to ask his friend to search for her when something broke the surface in a spray of surf. The blonde had known about the experiments done to the girl, having heard about them extensively when Yoroi had broken down, but it barely prepared him for the reality. The poor girl was covered in scales, fins and patches of oddly tinted skin. The only thing that still looked human was her face, a look of resignation engraved there in less than a second. Shaking his head, Naruto forced himself to focus. He was not exactly the best example of what was and was not normal after all. "Alright, let's get the hell out of here! The hole that Baa-chan made to get us in there is just along the coast!" Sparing no more thought to Isaribi's transformation, he began to run, both girls hot on his heels.

Unfortunately, that second of indecision had cost them. They had barely covered a fraction of the distance when the stretchy freak burst out before them, halting their presence. Before they could circumvent him, the three were surrounded on all sides by enemy ninja. It appeared that their clean getaway was doomed from the start. Cursing his own lack of weapons, Naruto eyed his opposition. While he had enough room to summon now, who knew what tricks these bastards could do thanks to Orochimaru? Gritting his teeth, the Chunin prepared for a real fight, the previous warm up already forgotten.

Breaking the circle, Amachi smirked at their defensive postures. "I had hoped that this would not be needed. After all, I'm sure that Tsunade would be much more open to negotiations if you were in one peace. Still, I do believe that it will be up to us to provide you with a little reality check." Gesturing around, the bastards smirk became a lot darker. "You might have gotten out of the lab, but this is my territory. There is no way that you can even begin to comprehend the depth of your mistake. So allow me to educate you." Feeling Isaribi tense, Naruto prepared for anything. At least, he though he did.

While Isaribi's transformation was startling, it really was not that bad. Sure, she looked a little odd, but the aquatic effects were kind of cute. In fact, she reminded him of a couple of dolls that Sakura-chan had brought in to the Academy when they were younger. But Amachi's transformation was much more extreme. Instead of sleek lines and rich colors Isaribi adopted, his body transformed into a greenish tank. Between his sharp teeth and bulging eyes, any trace of humanity left within the scientist was buried beneath a cold, hard exterior. Naruto felt a shiver running up and down his spine.

Actually preening under the attention, Amachi grinned with way too many teeth. "How do you like the final version of my technique? With this method, I will be able to create an army of ninja especially suited to conquering the oceans! No coastline or navy will be safe once Orochimaru adopts my methods onto his own forces! It's almost too bad you won't be in any condition to appreciate it." Snapping his fingers, the scientist gestured to his underlings. "All of you deal with the blonde brat for a bit. Get whatever revenge you deem appropriate short of killing him. In the meantime, I think I have a couple of little girls to punish." Hearing the threats to his teammate and the civilian, Naruto moved to try to intercept the bastard. However, between the Fuuma and Misumi, he could not even get close. The last thing he heard before everything became a blur of flesh and steel was Amachi shouting out, "Summoning Jutsu!" Of course, that gave the wily blonde a great idea.

* * *

Byakugan activated, Hinata observed both Amachi and his strange summons. The resulting explosion of the technique had successfully managed to separate her and Isaribi from Naruto-kun, and now she was faced with both a high level ninja and enemy creature uniquely suited to fighting in the ocean. Oh, and she had to keep Isaribi safe at the same time. Still, with Naruto dealing with the entire Fuuma clan and Yoroi's partner at the same time, it was up to her to deal with these monsters as quickly as possible. Licking her lips, she firmed her stance as much as she could. Even so, despite her status as Tsunade's apprentice, she was still worried about her chances.

Observing the creature, the Hyuga came to a surprising conclusion. Amachi's summoning technique actually called forth a number of tiny sea creatures, about the size of plankton. They appeared to be converting solar radiation into energy, with a shocking degree of efficiency. Despite their size, the creatures were able to work together in order to channel their gathered power into water elemental chakra to form the monstrous outer shell she was now dealing with. Assuming it was anything like Shino's hive, the enemy probably had a group mind that directed all the attacks, which could somewhat limit its creativity and effectiveness. She might just have a chance after all!

Standing on top of the water, Amachi was practically giddy. "Isn't my creation just amazing? I'm sure that, with your Byakugan, you are able to fully appreciate the wonder and glory of its design. This creature has virtually limitless power in the water, and will follow my orders to the letter. For example," narrowing his eyes, the mad medical ninja pointed right at her. "Attack the Hyuga my pet!" Faster than she thought possible, the mass of ocean water lashed out with a tentacle at high speed. However, used to greater difficulties from Tsunade-sensei's training, Hinata dodged while lashing out with a Jyuken strike. Disconnected from the central core of shakra the hive mind had established, the limb dissolved with little fanfare.

Yet, even as the young Kunoichi watched in horror, the summons simply generated another limb in seconds. Laughing, Amachi spread his hands in a grand gesture of control. "You see now girl? There is no way that you can win! My Umibouzu will disregard any damage to its body, simply recreating its form from the sea itself! Unless you find a way to dry out the very ocean, there is no way you can win! Why no admit your defeat now and save us all some trouble?" At the sound of the madman's taunts, Hinata narrowed her eyes dangerously. There might have been a time that such simple mind games would have broken her, but no longer. She would never give up and never surrender, because that was her ninja way! No matter how hopeless it looked, she would win here!

Hearing a sudden splash, Hinata was shocked at the sight of Isaribi launching herself at Amachi's unprotected back. In her concentration on the enemy summons, she had not realized that the civilian was attempting a sneak attack. Unfortunately, her civilian roots shone through as Amachi easily sidestepped the attack, before swatting the girl like a bug. Even if he was primarily a researcher, Amachi was clearly a ninja, and any ninja could have heard such an attack from a mile away. "Wait your turn, failure. I'll deal with you in due time." With that statement, Hinata froze in place.

Years of rejection and being called a failure had shaped the young Hyuga into what she was today. Despite all the growth and support her friends, her teachers and Naruto-kun had provided, there was still some part of her searching for validation of her abilities. Yet watching someone else who had been molded against their will only to be cast aside once their worth was over, made the girl take notice. Isaribi had been a simple orphan, who was kidnapped and forced to grow stronger, not for her, but the desires and needs of others. While not quite as bad in a sense, Hinata's training and treatment by the clan could be taken the same way.

Seeing the poor girl hurt like that made a part of the gentle Hinata snap, releasing the focus and determination of a Kunoichi of Konoha. Launching herself at the monster, Hinata allowed her doubts to flow from her mind. This was her fight, and she would finish it in victory, no matter what the cost. Then she would go and help Naruto-kun deal with his opponents and they would go help Tsunade-sensei! That was going to happen, and no two-bit medical wannabe was going to stop them!

* * *

Backing away from the blonde demon in front of him, Fuuma Kamakiri could barely contain his fear. While he and his compatriots did not have much in the way of water jutsus, they were considered Jonin of their clan and should be more than enough for any little boy. Yet this child was tearing them apart while barely breaking a sweat! Despite their numerical advantage, Misumi's knowledge of the terrain, and far greater experience, the blonde was repelling every attack with just taijutsu, bojutsu and one seal-less ninjutsu! At the very least they should have been able to read his pattern of attack by now!

Of course, they had not known that the boy would have a summoning contract, but the chakra to summon the boss of the clan and still keep fighting. Facing off against Enma, the famous ally of the Sandaime Hokage was much more than they should have expected. Yet, the brat was wielding the Bo form of the monkey king with ease, performing cartwheels and rebounds with barely a care. Even at their level, some focus was required to continue to walk on the water, but this brat was doing it on instinct! No child should have that much control or power!

Watching Jigumo getting launched skyward by a particularly vicious strike, the Fuuma leader grit his teeth before launching a barage of shuriken at the brats unprotected back. Without even looking in his direction, the boy jumped into the air, easily deflecting the barrage. When Misumi tried to entangle his feet, the brat simply turned in midair, his Bo extending with a crack against the stretchy ninja's head. Kagerou, seeing an opportunity with the monkey king tied up, attempted to backhand the boy from behind. Calmly dropping the Bo, the blonde turned with another Rasengan in hand forcing the Kunoichi to back off. Landing back on the surface of the water, the brat kicked the staff back into his hand, not even breathing hard. As much as it pained Kamakiri to admit it, the blonde child was controlling the flow of battle, and they were letting him! This could not be allowed to continue!

Watching Misumi attempting another attack from beneath the surf, the Jonin launched himself as a distraction. It no longer mattered who took this brat out, as long as it happened! Unfortunately, he simply got a Bo to the solar plexus for his trouble. Falling back, he saw the blonde launch himself upwards, expelling an absurd amount of chakra from his feet. Not only did this get him out of the glasses wearing ninja's range, but launched Misumi deeper under the water. Regrettably, the sudden pressure chance proved to be too much, and the ninja floated to the surface unconscious. Face stony, the boy formed another shadow clone that rapidly launched itself below the water. Kamakiri could do nothing but watch as the clone somehow formed a whirlpool, dragging their ally below the surf.

Taking stock of their position, the Fuuma cursed. Jigumo appeared to be out of the battle, floating towards the coastline out cold. Misumi was probably drowning right now, well out of their reach. He had at least a couple of bruised bones from that last attack, and even Kagerou was looking winded. The longer this fight went on, the more likely the brat would kill them all! They had to take him down before that happened! Seeing Kagerou tense, he could tell that the same thought was going through his friends head. Knowing her like he did, the Fuuma leader did his best to keep the blondes attention on him. Hopefully, Amachi could help patch her up after the attack.

Jumping back, the Fuuma Kunoichi formed a series of familiar hand seals. Feeling the buildup of chakra, Kamakiri got out of the way as quickly as he could. The familiar sensation of power washed over him as Kagerou's Ant Lion Transformation technique forced her power to dangerous levels. Yet, even that was not enough to stop the blonde! He just looked at her power, ignored the increase of strength, and launched his Bo like a spear right at the Kunoichi's head! A little disoriented from the amount of focus and control the jutsu required her to utilize, Kagerou was knocked back and out of the fight, the drain of the technique apparently making the very act of breathing difficult.

Watching as his strongest comrade fell, Kamakiri licked his lips nervously. Never before had he dealt with someone so much younger than him and yet so much stronger at the same time. How could a brat Sasame's age have this much power? It was unreal! Preparing his primary weapon, the Jonin returned his focus to the battle only to face a pair of icy blue eyes and a swirling sphere of chakra. Then he only knew darkness.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Hinata regained her footing. So far, the battle with the Umibouzu had turned into a war of attrition that she was losing badly. While she was easily able to deflect any attacks from the creature by disconnecting the watery limbs from its chakra core, the beast was simply able to regenerate from the surrounding water. No matter how much damage she inflicted upon it, the young Hyuga was simply unable to perform any lasting damage. The situation was beyond maddening.

Jumping over another tentacle, the Kunoichi lashed out with a kick, only for the summons to once again recover. Feeling uncharacteristically frustrated, Hinata backed up to strategize. In summation, her Jyuken was useless. All her attacks simply hampered the body of the Umibouzu, leaving its chakra core intact. Yet, any direct attacks made on the chakra core were diffused by the body as a whole. Its rate of regeneration was too fast for combo techniques, while purely physical attacks were even more useless. Without some sort of powerful fire technique or method of detracting the core from the water, she could not defeat this enemy.

Seeing the distorted form of Amachi through the main body of the summons, Hinata felt a sudden spike of anger. The medical ninja was not even attempting to attack. Instead he was content to watch her bash against his creature like a wave against the rocks. in all honesty, she would probably be less frustrated from attacking a metal wall than this construct. Watching the beast turn grey as the shade of a cloud covered the battlefield, Hinata felt a jolt of recognition. This was not the first time she had dealt with such a problem, and there was no reason she could not do so again!

Back in the Land of Vegetables, Jiga of the Janin had also displayed a defense that seemed almost unbeatable. While his internal organs were still susceptible to Jyuken strikes, the density of his metal skin made getting the energy into the correct area difficult. By concentrating all her vision and control into one general area, Hinata had actually managed to pierce his armor and liquefy his organs. While not the first time she had experienced death, Hinata would always remember that as one of the most agonizing confrontations in her carreer. However, if she could simply accomplish the same level of control as last time, she might just be able to pull off a victory!

Trying to focus, forcing herself to face that moment in time, Hinata was surprised when things seemed to slow down. After a second though, she realized that it was not time slowing down, but her own perception of things speeding up. Although she was not able to utilize the full range of vision that her Byakugan was known for, it seemed that concentrating that level of perception on a single point increased her rate of perception by nearly six times what it was before! Feeling the chakra in her palms build to dangerous levels, Hinata launched herself forward, the wake of her attack cresting like a pair of wings.

Dodging on instinct, Hinata found herself concentrating on that core of aquatic creatures that made up the brain of Umibouzu. Moving as quickly as she could, sharpened chakra in each hand, the young Hyuga struck six times. Five strikes isolated the core from the artificial water body, while the sixth blasted the core itself into the air. No longer protected by the sea water each tiny part of the core overloaded in the open sunlight, before disintegrating into dust. Powerless, the body of the summons dispersed, nothing more than simple sea water.

Falling to her knees from the strain of maintaining the technique, Hinata's Byakugan returned to normal. Even as she tried to catch her breath, the young Hyuga could not help but notice the water droplets flying through the air. In her vision, the water slowly faded from the blue of the Umibouzu's chakra to a pinkish white as the energy withered away. At that moment, she knew what this technique was going to be. Not only had it saved her own life, but the life of her most precious person. For such a wonderful accomplishment, it deserved a wonderful name. Smiling at the sudden moment of poetry, Hinata whispered the techniques new name. "Six strikes of the Plum Blossom." It was a fitting technique to defend those most precious to her.

Feeling a rush of killer intent, Hinata looked up just in time to see a furious Amachi stalking towards her. "Do you honestly think I'm going to let you get away with this? By the time I'm done with you, you'll be begging for Orochimaru's tender mercies! No one destroys one of my creations! Prepare to die, Hyuga bitch!" Getting ready, Hinata was just about to attack when something stopped her cold. Isaribi previously ignored and assumed unconscious, was right behind the medical ninja, a familiar needle in her hand. Before Amachi could even squawk, the civilian had stabbed him with all her strength.

* * *

Grunting from the effort, Isaribi did her best to drive the medical needle through the thick scales on Amachi's back. She could not just stand by while these other two got hurt trying to rescue her. This bastard had made her a monster, so it was her job to deal with a bigger monster. Yet, no matter how much effort she put into the strike, the needle simply could not penetrate his scales. Before she knew it, she was launched across the water once again, with much greater force this time.

Turning towards him, the transformed form of Amachi gave her a grin filled with too many teeth. "My dear Isaribi-chan, it's too bad that you decided to betray me. I really was going to return you to normal after we had safely captured Tsunade and her apprentices. Now, I guess its time to throw you out with all the other trash. Tell me though; what could you possibly gain from helping these two? You don't know them, and no matter how brilliant their master that does not guarantee that she'll be able to undo my efforts. What could have possibly gone through your head when you decided upon this foolishness?"

Forcing herself to face the monster before her, Isaribi allowed her emotions to boil to the surface. Ever since she had been mutilated by this thing, the young girl had bottled up all her hate, pain and despair, unwilling to allow her captors to know they had gotten to her. But now, after seeing the pride of Amachi's forces decimated so easily, she could not help but find some sliver of hope. "You used me to develop this disgusting power for your own gains. You forced me to steal and rob innocent people to fund your experiments, promising help you would never give. Because of you, I lost my friends, my life and my world to fear and hatred. I despise you, and cannot wait to see you fall. But I knew I was not strong enough to win, because all my power came from you, or so I thought."

Feeling her hands shake from frustration, the young victim growled. "But these two reminded me that I always had the power to change this! They could have chosen to ignore me that day in the market, but they did not! They could have left me to your tender mercies when it seemed like I had been kidnapped, but they did not! They were willing to fight for me, so how could I not fight for myself?" Spitting into the water, Isaribi forced herself to remain calm. "Even if their master cannot help me, the only thing that would make me a monster is listening to a single additional command from your diseased mouth you bastard! I am not your toy!"

Scoffing, the transformed Amachi began to stalk towards her. "I suppose that, if you're no longer useful, then there is no reason to keep putting this off. Hopefully, I will learn quite a bit from your remains. Take comfort in that fact as I send you to your final resting place." Knowing that he was stronger and faster than her, Isaribi stood her ground. If she was going to die, she would do so facing her enemy head on. Naruto and his friend had done so for her, and she should not do less than the same!

However, before he could even cover half the distance between them, the Kunoichi with the odd eyes attacked first. Before her shocked eyes, the other girl launched herself from beneath the water's surface, a glowing blue hand aimed directly at Amachi's chest. While he was able to dodge most of the strike, what did hit must have been painful. Leaping backwards, the Kunoichi took a position before her, even as Amachi grasped his chest while coughing up blood. All in all, the entire exchange took a matter of seconds.

Dropping to his knees, the bastard lost his transformed features, even as blood continued to flow from his open lips. "How dare you, you brat! I refuse to die at the hands of some insignificant child! I am Amachi of Sea Country! Future ruler of the planets oceans! You should know my name and tremble in fear! There is no way such a simple wound will stop me!" Ranting, the scientist formed a few hand seals, forming a ball of healing green chakra. However, before he could use it, a familiar blonde knocked him off his feet and into the surf.

"You know, I keep hearing how we should know you and fear you, but I'm getting kind of sick of this crap. You're nothing more than one of that Snake bastard's minions to be thrown away when no longer useful. So just lie down and die already!" Kicking Amachi upwards, Naruto hurled a swirling ball of light into his torso. Before the shocked civilians eyes, her tormentor and prison guard of so long was launched nearly two hundred feet back towards the island. Even as he traveled, she could see his organs becoming paste. Watching the blonde run over to check on them, Isaribi could no longer help it. She collapsed on the surface of the sea, hot tears running down her cheeks.

* * *

Holding her two compatriots close, Kagerou ran like her life depended upon it. Those two Chunin had powers and abilities far beyond what they had expected. With the death of Amachi and his flunky Misumi, it was now their responsibility to inform Orochimaru-sama of the outcome of the attack. Shivering at the thought of her master's displeasure, the Fuuma Kunoichi continued to push forward. Despite their inability to capture or control Tsunade-sama with hostages, hopefully the information they did provide would be enough to earn them mercy. Otherwise, her clan members would not be long of this world.

Jigumo was rather badly off, with several broken bones and dislocated limbs. He had been forced to forgo his normal jutsu library in the middle of the sea, and it had cost him dearly. Between that and the head trauma from Enma, it was pure damn luck that the blonde monster had not finished him off on the spot. Still, even with healing from a genius like Orochimaru-sama or Kabuto-sama, it would probably be touch and go to fix him. There was even a chance his ninja career was over!

However, Kamakiri was much worse; with nearly half his abdomen ripped apart by that Rasengan attack. Never before had the Kunoichi seen a technique that focused and yet destructive. If he had not attempted a Replacement just before impact, there was a good chance their squad leader would be with Amachi at the bottom of the ocean. Despite her best efforts, both were fading fast, and would die without proper medical attention. In addition, she was barely hanging in there since most of her energy had been lost to the Ant Lion Transformation technique. Only someone of the Snake Sannin's skill and power could possibly save such broken souls. She would have to pray her actions would be sufficient to succeed.

Running around the island, the Fuuma Kunoichi decided to stop on the beach for a moment. While she was no medic, at the very least she could try to limit the blood trail with some bandaging. Laying her clansmen down, she began to examine Kamakiri's wounds. Tearing apart his shirt, she looked around the area for something to help bind the makeshift bandage. However, before she could complete her task, something knocked her down from behind.

Turning, she was shocked by the appearance of four masked men. Dressed in identical outfits of brown, blue and black, the symbol of Kiri was prominent on each of their foreheads. This confused the woman, for she had not heard of any conflicts between Oto and Kiri. Why would the soldiers of the Mizukage attack them? Trying to ready herself for battle, she was still not prepared when one slit Jigumo's throat without mercy. Crying out in rage, she shakily made it to her feet, only to see Kamakiri get stabbed in the eye. Gathering all the chakra she could, Kagerou rushed the enemy ninja, murder in her heart. Almost negligently, the leader of the squad dodged her attack, before knocking her down.

Dizzy and confused, the Fuuma ninja tried to clear her head, only to hear the masked men talking to one another. "Captain, we have targets one and two ready for transport. Given the relative condition of the bodies, it is likely that the medical corps will discover much about Orochimaru's methods upon examining the remains. Do you want target three to be taken as a prisoner?" Hearing this, Kagerou did her best to get into position. She would rather die on her feet than betray Orochimaru-sama! They were the future pride of the Fuuma clan, and key figures in its eventual resurrection. There was no way some high and mighty Hunter ninja from Kiri was going to dissect her or her clansmen like lab rats!

Observing her struggles, the apparent captain of the squad shrugged. "There is no reason to keep her alive. Breaking this pawn would be more trouble than it's worth. Honestly, discovering her secrets in the autopsy room would be more efficient. Take her out and seal her up." Trying to form a hand sign, Fuuma Kagerou heard the sing of metal one last time. Then there was only silence and blood splatter.

* * *

Deactivating his Byakugan eye, Ao took a moment to catch his breath. It had taken several weeks, three teams of Kiri Hunter ninja, and a lot of luck, but they had finally located traces of Tsunade's group. However, upon entering Sea Country, they had discovered that the entire team was out tracking some local rumors of disappearing civilians and a medical oddity. Examining the facts, Ao had directed his forces out at the first opportunity. Whenever Konoha investigated something like disappearances, it usually boiled down to a conflict with Orochimaru. If he managed to get caught in a battle between the Sannin, Mizukage-sama really would kill him.

He had managed to track the traces of chakra the group had left running towards Kikaijima Island, when his Byakugan had detected a major spike of energy. Setting up a position on top of the island, Ao was treated to the sight of a furious battle between three children and a number of Chunin and Jonin level ninja. Recognizing two of the subjects as being part of Tsunade's group, the hunter ninja decided to evaluate the level and abilities of those being taught by the Slug Princess. Despite her amazing reputation, it was only good sense to determine if one woman was really worth all this trouble. He had not survived the manipulations and backstabbing of the Yondaime Mizukage's service by trusting rumor and hearsay.

However, after observing the two ninja fight, Ao could honestly state he was blown away. The Hyuga, although young, was crisp and focused with her Jyuken, demonstrating control and flexibility that was almost inhuman. Despite the power of her opponent, the little princess was still able to obliterate the creature with chakra so focused it was almost blinding to the normal eye. Yet her recovery and stamina was nearly equal to a low Jonin. The last time he had seen someone that effective using water walking was an open spar among the Seven Swordsmen on a training lake. Coming from Kiri, the Jonin could recognize a natural water element when he saw one, and knew that she could only improve with practice.

The blonde, on the other hand, was on an entirely different level. Ao had not seen chakra potency on that scope since the first time he scanned a Kage with his Byakugan. By all accounts, this kid was still recovering from a pattern of abuse and neglect that had been going on for years. Yet, not only did he demonstrate the control to summon a legendary boss, but use it on water with the same stability as earth. That did not even take the Rasengan of the Yondaime Hokage into account!

Unlike his Hyuga friend, the blonde did not seem particularly suited to fighting on water. Rather, it was almost like he possessed so much power, that sustaining his balance on the surface of the ocean was no more difficult than breathing. In fact, even as he watched, his control and power became just a little greater and focused during the fight. Such a rate of growth was downright frightening. In fact, once he recognized where he had seen a similar chakra pattern, Ao was almost petrified.

"Commander we have successfully eliminated the three Oto ninja and sealed their remains. If Orochimaru attempts to investigate, there should be no evidence of our involvement. What are your next orders, sir?" Looking at the kneeling forms of his backup, Ao had to wonder if they would be enough. If his suspicion was correct, than this whole issue just got a lot more complicated.

Still, no matter what his theories, that did not mean that it was acceptable to show fear to his subordinates. "Very well, prepare to move out. This appears to be an ideal time to introduce ourselves. We might as well make a good impression while Tsunade is getting her act together." Nodding their acceptance, the hunter squads returned to their formations like a well oiled machine. Sighing, Ao led the pack, feeling more than hearing his comrades following along. He still had to wonder if it would be enough.

As he had thought, the blonde ninja reminded the hunter ninja of the first time he had seen a Kage with his stolen Byakugan. Like the blonde, the Kage's chakra was so dense; it was practically a solid wall of power. He had seen only one with that sort of ability, and an instinctive part of his mind told him that this was the same situation. A ninja did not get very far by ignoring his instincts, but the consequences were truly horrible. Because if this chakra was the same as Yagura's, then he could very well be going to face a Jinchuuriki who had not even demonstrated his true power. If not handled carefully, this whole operation could blow up in his face.

* * *

Author's Notes

Whoa, just whoa

I have not had a shot of inspiration that strong on any story for months! Thanks to the cannon for finally animating the Hinata Confessions episode. After watching that and the latest chapters of the Manga, I find my muse significantly jumpstarted. Let us hope that this trend continues. :)

Thanks to everybody's well wishes and congratulations about the award, I assure you all that I was thrilled for the support, and find it just another reason to continue writing. With this level of dedication, I can honestly state that I WILL FINISH THIS STORY! Not today, not tomorrow, but it will end!

Now, while most of the reviews appear to be thanks and well wishes, with the occasional annoyed reader (hey, if you thought ending it on a cliffhanger was bad, ending it on a layered cliffhanger has to be worse), there does appear to be a bit of confusion over one little issue. I actually have done my best to avoid any original characters. Whenever you see one, either it's someone that you know exists but lack a name for (such as Hyuga Elder Shinji) or a filler character from the anime. I again recommend that all of those who are confused check out leafninja dot com. Just look at the Biography section for a second, and I think that you will realize WHY I do my best to avoid creating any more random characters. -_-;;;

For those of you who are confused about the Shadow Clone scene, I recommend rereading Chapter Thirteen. That way, the scene with the Fuuma will make a lot more sense.

Now my faithful readers, I believe that it is time to announce a small shift in policy. Some of you might have noticed a change in format presented here. Whereas before I made an extremely concentrated effort to spit the coverage between Team Tsunade s group and Konoha equally, I don t think that will continue to work. Despite my best efforts, Naruto has grown here to a level that will no longer be satisfied with small filler battles. I have been focusing on improving his chakra control, taijutsu, weapons usage, tactics and effectiveness. But now that I have him doing one handed Rasengans, it's time to take it up a notch. Tsunade has got to start teaching more intensive techniques, or his battles are going to get even more one sided! That is simply cannot be allowed!

Oh, don't worry; Konoha will still be a major element of the story. But instead of a fifty/fifty split, it might be better to do a thirty/seventy split. What I am trying to say, is things are going to be a little more relaxed and flexible in this fiction, so be prepared. I can only hope that my writing is up to the challenge!

Now then, for the next chapter! Ninja diplomacy is quite a delicate practice. Let's hope that the blondes at least let them say hello before starting a war!


	33. The Delicate Balance of Power

No I don't own Naruto. Besides, there are so many others in that universe at much more affordable prices.

Chapter Thirty: The Delicate Balance of Power

Holding the transformed girl in his arms, Naruto was beginning to squirm. He had very little experience with crying girls, and just hugging the sobbing Isaribi did not seem to be doing anything. Giving Hinata a hopeless look, he sighed as Isaribi pulled closer into his chest, away from the Hyuga's gentle shoulder pats. It appeared that despite Hinata's gender, the civilian thought that he was the better source of comfort. Honestly, it confused the hell out of the young blonde. "Now, now, Isaribi, please don't cry. We'll take you to Baa-chan, and she'll fix you right up ok? Come on, we should get back to the island. It's not safe to be exposed out here."

Shaking her head, the young civilian looks at both ninja, adoration clearly shining in her eyes. "I can't thank you enough. Amachi, that bastard, he kept me feeling weak and useless for so long. I knew I was a freak and a monster, but he would never let me forget it, reminding me that I was nothing without him anymore." Burying her head back in Naruto's chest, she then allowed Hinata to come closer without any sign of complaint. "But now he's really gone forever. I'll never have to worry about him running any more tests, or forcing me to do things to help him destroy more lives. I'm finally free to do what I want." Suddenly detaching herself from the two, she sank into the surf, only to reemerge a few feet away. "So now I guess it's time to say goodbye."

Shocked at both the proclamation, and the speed with which the girl had moved, Naruto shook his head in denial. "Did that bastard hit you on the head too hard or something? This is your chance, Isaribi! With Baa-chan's help, we can try to change you back to normal! You could go anywhere and start over! At least make sure that the bastard didn't do something that will screw you over later! Tsunade-baa-chan is the best, and will give you a chance to start over!" This did not make any sense! Isaribi needed help, and there was no way that he could let her just leave without getting that help! If he did that, what was the point of fighting in the first place?

Shaking her head in denial, Isaribi caught him in a intense gaze. "What would be the point? Naruto, I did things under Amachi's command. I stole, hurt people, and led others to their doom, just because I had to be selfish. Once my involvement comes out, anyone who is associated with me will go down. Luckily most of the villagers are safe, but there is no way I could bring your group into my troubles. If I'm ever going to prove myself better than that monster, I have to turn myself in. Can't you see that's the only path left to me? You saw what that bastard did on the island, so just let me give those poor souls some justice. Its only right." Sniffing, the aquatic civilian gave a watery smile. "Even if they kill me for my crimes, at least I will die a human."

Unable to take this anymore, Naruto pushed more chakra to his legs, increasing his speed by a significant margin. Clearly surprised by the move, Isaribi had no chance to move before the blonde was upon her. Raising his hand, he flicked her right across the nose. If not for the seriousness of the situation, the crossed eyes probably would have been quite hilarious. As things stood, it was all the Chunin could do to keep from screaming.

Shaking his finger in her face, Naruto practically growled. "Now you listen to me! Hinata-chan and I did not risk our lives and fight so hard just to have you give up! You were just a pawn of another pawn under the control of Orochimaru! The snake bastard has been a pain in Konoha's side for years, not only as our enemy but one of our greatest mistakes. It's because we allowed him to live for so long that this happened to you, and it's only right that we try to fix it!" Taking a deep breath, the blonde took her face in his hands, trying to ignore how smooth the scales felt against his palms. "You were just a poor kid in a bad situation who managed to beat the odds, and should not be punished for surviving! So you re going to calm down already!"

Feeling a familiar hand on his shoulder, the young Chunin allowed himself to relax. Hinata placed her other hand on the civilian's head, a gentle smile on her face. "Naruto-kun is absolutely correct. We will not abandon you Isaribi. So please, just accept our help for what it is. If at all possible, we will not allow you to come to further harm. I think that you have been through enough already. Now why don't we go and try to find Tsunade-sensei." Hearing the quiet strength in his friend's words, Naruto could not help but be grateful. Truly, Hinata made an excellent partner.

"Yes why don't we find Tsunade? If you would wait a moment, I think that she is just the sort of person we have been looking for." Shocked by the unfamiliar voice, Naruto turned only to be brought up short. Thirteen ninja in similar equipment marked with the symbol for Kiri stood before them, relaxed and silent on the water's surface. Noticing the familiar painted masks, Naruto realized that these must be a group of Kiri Hunter Ninja, just as Haku pretended to be on that fateful day back in Wave country. Seeing that the squads were cutting them off from the island, Naruto mentally cursed. This situation had just gotten a lot more difficult.

* * *

Observing the children in front of him, Ao mentally applauded the reactions of Tsunade's apprentices. The blonde had been quick to jump forward, putting him in a direct line of fire for any techniques. Given his usage of clones earlier, that was actually not a bad idea. He could wear down any enemy movements, allowing the Hyuga who moved right behind him to target them more precisely. Most importantly, they put the modified civilian in the rear most position, allowing her the greatest chance of escape. All in all, just the sort of thing he would expect from a couple of Chunin protecting a weaker target. Still, starting things off so aggressively might complicate matters, so it would be best to calm both of them down.

Holding his hands open and apart in a nonthreatening manner, the Hunter ninja decided to keep it simple. "Just to be clear, we don't mean any harm. We were just ordered to contact Tsunade of the Sannin, and overheard your conversation. You wouldn't happen to be her students, would you? Rumor has it that she has decided to take on a couple of new apprentices." While a little vague, hopefully it would put both of the other ninja at ease. By realizing that his forces could have attacked while both were distracted, it would demonstrate that he did not want any trouble.

However, apparently still running off the adrenaline of his recent fight, the blonde was less than interested in cooperating. "Why don't you just tell us who you are working for and we'll see if we can get her the message. It might take some time, though, so could you come back later?" Quirking an eyebrow at such a lame bluff, Ao smirked. Either they were not aware of his observing the previous battle or were trying to hide the knowledge. If it was the former that meant his Byakugan was more developed than the Hyuga girls, a point of personal pride. If the later, these two might just be interesting enough to justify all this effort in the first place.

Still, allowing the two to know his message would be a minimal risk. The water was his domain, and all his men were skilled enough to handle them if worst came to worst. Plus, if his suspicions about the blonde were correct, it might even help them out in their objective farther down the road. Reaching into his pouch, he did not even pause when the Hyuga observed him with the Byakugan. A little paranoia was normal, and it would not do for the three to be blown up by a surprise exploding tag. Cracking the seal, Ao cleared his throat and began reading the Mizukage's message.

_To the honorable Tsunade of the Sanin, Granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage and Heir of the Senju, I bid you greetings._

_It has come to my attention that you have left Konoha for an extended training voyage across the Elemental Nations. Being sympathetic to the needs and issues that another Kunoichi of high standing can deal with, it would be my privilege to provide you and your party with sanctuary within the borders of Kiri. Of course, if any and all of your companions, including yourself, choose to settle here, it would be my greatest honor to incorporate you within my village. Recent events have made it an absolute necessity to rebuild and restructure our forces, in the wake of several regrettable choices of my predecessor. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the new opportunities before us._

_I assure you that, despite whatever rumors or stereotypes that you have encountered when dealing with my people in the past, there is absolutely no reason that I can find that you and your students would find the atmosphere here to be to your liking. Kiri is a beautiful country that I hope to lead into a new era of prosperity. The possibilities of such an honored individual working with us, not to mention your current prodigies of students, would go a long way towards healing the rifts within our society. While I in no way doubt your honor and commitments towards Konoha, from what little I know of your current situation, a safe base of operations would do wonders for your prospects of continued growth. Alas, all I can hope that you act carefully, and give my proposal all the honor and consideration that it deserves._

_I thank you for your time, and hope that we can both work together to our mutual benefit._

_Terumii Mei _  
_Godaime Mizukage_

Reading the last part, it was all the older ninja could do to keep his composure. By the standards of the traditional regime of Kiri, Mei's requests were almost pathetic. Some part of him thought the red head should have made her requests into demands, less she seem weak. Still, fighting to keep his opinions off his face, Ao faced the group. "So what do you think? Honestly, if I was in your shoes, I would take Mizukage-sama's generosity in a heartbeat."

Shaking his head, the blonde once again spoke for his group. "You have got to be kidding me! I've met Kiri ninja, and know that no one with a kekkei genkai could ever be accepted so easily! It wouldn't be a week before Hinata-chan would be killed in her sleep! Besides, your Mizukage just asked us to become traitors to Konoha! There is no way we would ever betray our home like that!"

Curious about his comment about meeting Kiri ninjas, Ao focused upon the more vital comment. "What home would that be? As far as I see, you and your leader have fled because of social and political pressure of some sort. I don't know all the details, but only an idiot would assume you could return to Konoha whenever you wanted. You can't even bring yourselves to wear the leaf symbol! What does that say about your so called loyalty?" Seeing the fire in the blonde brat's eyes, the hunter ninja realized that he might have gone a bit too far.

Cracking his knuckles the young ninja stood tall and proud. "I don't know who you think you are, but there is no way that I will ever abandon my comrades! I don't know what they teach you in Kiri, but my first lesson was those who betray their allies are the worst sort of trash! So don't even think about it, you hear me?" Seeing the young ninja and his allies prepare for conflict, even as his own men tensed in anticipation, Ao had to wonder how he had allowed this entire situation to grow so out of control with a few simple comments.

* * *

Holding position in front of the two girls, Naruto tried to stay positive, despite the forces arrayed against them. He had studied enough diplomacy in the Land of Birds to read through to the reality of the message the Mizukage had sent, but also knew that if he made any sort of noises of agreement, that might be enough to lock him and his friends into a bad deal. Still, despite his normal optimism, the blonde knew that facing off against that many guys as strong as Haku was a bad way to spend the day. He might have been a fake Hunter ninja, but Haku was trained by one of the best ever to come out of Kiri, according to Kakashi-sensei. He had to assume that the real deal would have to be at least on that level, if not with the ability to create ice than the raw experience the position entailed. If it came down to a fight, he would have to be prepared for the worst.

Noting one of the hunter ninja focusing his attention on Hinata, the Chunin moved between the two without a thought. Unfortunately, that appeared to be enough to demonstrate hostility. The Hunter Ninja was quick to form hand signs, spurring the two on either side of his position to launch an attack. While Naruto was able to deflect their initial strikes with no problems, he cursed as the third ninja called out his jutsu, "Water Whips!" Getting ready to form his own seals, the blonde was stopped at two constructs of water bound his hands, preventing him from using any techniques and locking him in place. Feeling the strength behind the whips, he narrowed his eyes in anger. These guys were in for it now!

Sensing Hinata moving to help him, he was discouraged by the second team moving to hold her in place with the same technique. Now getting angry, Naruto began to form a Rasengan in each hand, intending to break the jutsu through raw force. Apparently prepared for the action both of the Hunter Ninja that had originally distracted him moved like a well oiled machine, forming additional handsigns. Before he could blink, they had supported his captor with their own technique, "Chains of Tears!" Before his shocked gaze, the two water whips binding his hands had been supplemented with a series of supporting threads, grounding directly to the ocean. Increasing his focus, Naruto cursed at the result. Any chakra he gathered in his hands was being gathered and diffused directly into the ocean. No matter how much power he put into the technique, the Rasengan just would not form!

Deciding to change ttactics, the blonde forced as much power into his feet as he could manage. While not as effective as it would be on solid ground, the raw concentration of power launched him into the air like a rocket. Although the whips remained in place, he could easily see that they were beginning to weaken. Taking the initiative, Naruto attempted to gather more chakra into his palms for another Rasengan, smirking as they began to form. It appeared that the Water Whips and Chains of Tears were at their limits, and on the verge of breaking. Once they were gone, he was going to knock all these bastards into oblivion!

Unfortunately for his plan, one of the other ninja's saw his potential escape and reacted with all the speed and skill their training demanded. Forming another Water Whip, the Hunter Ninja launched it around his head, forming a globe of water around his face. Surprised by the move, Naruto accidentally released a breath of air, leaving him with no oxygen as he returned to the surface of the water. Feeing the various bonds strengthen with the closer proximity, the Chunin fought to keep on the surface. If nothing changed soon, he would black out from a lack of air.

Luckily, he was not alone on the ocean. Hearing a cry of determination, Naruto managed to turn just in time to see Hinata break her bonds with a small rotation technique. Before he could blink, the Hyuga had rushed to his side, destroying the whips that held him with precise and careful strikes. Feeling his strength return with each breath of air, Naruto stood at his full height. These bastards had nearly taken him out, but no more! It was time to show what a future Hokage could do! Observing all the ninja prepare to battle, besides the leader who simply stood by and watched, Naruto formed his favorite hand seals. There was no way he was going to lose today!

However, the battle was interrupted by a dramatic splash between the two groups. Blinking the saltwater from his eyes, Naruto looked at the new player with a smile. Green jacket flapping in the wind, Tsunade of the Sannin stood ready for battle, the Hokage's Hat firmly on her brow. He could not see her face, but Naruto knew that challenging smirk from months of training and sparing. These Kiri guys had better watch themselves, because soon they would be going down!

* * *

Holding her smirk in place, Tsunade was mentally cursing up a storm. How the hell did a bunch of Kiri ninja manage to find them so easily? They had been carefully hiding for months, using every trick she knew to remain inconspicuous. Yet, now they were facing off against three teams of Hunter Ninja and a Squad Captain unless she missed her guess, on the open ocean. This could lead to anything from an international incident to being dissected on a medical slab. She would have to be careful or this could blow up in her face worst than it already did!

However, she was not allowed much time to contemplate this turn of events. Before she could call a halt to the hostilities, one of the Hunter Ninja launched himself forward with surprising speed. Bringing a manicured hand to position, the blonde Hokage was initially surprised as the figure dropped beneath the surface of the ocean. In fact, if she had blinked, she would have probably missed it. Jumping from behind her position, the Hunter Ninja formed hand seals at a furious pace. Bringing herself to bear on the assailant, Tsunade quirked an eyebrow as a sphere of water formed around her, imprisoning her. If she had more air, the medic would have probably sighed in irritation. Instead, she decided to teach this little kid some manners.

Forcing her chakra to flow evenly despite the building pressure from the Water Prison, Tsunade flexed her muscles once. Keeping her actions calm and relaxed, the medic pushed herself through the surface of the prison while reaching for the now panicking Hunter Ninja. Feeling the chakra of the technique increase, Tsunade would not be denied her goal. Before her shocked audience, the Sannin calmly flicked the Kiri ninja's forehead, launching him across the water like a lightning bolt. Hearing a distant crash of wood and stone, she could only assume he had been returned to the island the hard way.

Feeling the jutsu break, the blonde turned her gaze towards the rest of the Kiri ninjas. As much fun as kicking their asses would be, she was getting a little old for such games. "I Senju Tsunade, Goadaime Hokage of Konoha, demand to speak with your leader about this unprovoked attack! Unless someone comes forward, I will simply have to assume that this is a hostile encounter and act accordingly. Unless you all want to meet up with your friend at terminal velocity, I suggest you hurry up!" Seeing the sheen of sweat forming on the only unmasked ninja, Tsunade suppressed a chuckle. It had been too long since she had made a bunch of babies nearly shit their pants. It was just as much fun as she remembered!

Stepping forward, the leader bowed with respect. In fact, if he had been before anyone else, the slight tremor in his stance would have probably been unnoticeable. However, to the Sannin, he might as well been shaking in his boots. "Greetings, Lady Tsunade of Konoha. Before we begin, may I send a few of my men to check on their comrade? I think that I heard a few bones break when you launched him back towards the island." Remembering the wave of pressure the Kiri ninja's body had formed in its moments of motion, Tsunade nodded her agreement. Any true ninja should have withstood the force easily, but the kid might be delicate of something.

Directing two of his men to go towards the island, the leader of the Hunter Squads turned his attention back towards the Hokage. She decided to check him over, just to be on the safe side, but his appearance did not appear to ring any bells in the Bingo Books that she was familiar with. He was a respectable height, with broad shoulders and neon green hair. In fact, his most notable feature was a large, ornate eye patch over his right eye and the talisman earrings he wore. Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade tried to remember where she had seen such an arrangement before. While Jiraiya was the Seals Master, something about those symbols stirred a memory.

Hearing the leader clearing his throat, Tsunade pushed the thoughts off to the side. "Great Tsunade of the Sannin, I am Ao, head of the Kirigakure Hunter Ninja Division. I was sent with a personal message from the Mizukage herself, and my primary purpose is to deliver it to you. Will you review it, allowing me to complete my mission?" Frowning at the implications, Tsunade nodded her acceptance. Ao wasted no time, throwing the scroll in her direction. Looking over her shoulder at Hinata, she did not begin to read until the shy girl nodded her acceptance. It would not do to beat these punks up, only to be taken out by a hidden exploding tag array.

* * *

Seeing another twitch from his forces, Ao made the stand down signal again with a frown. If the elite forces were this jumpy, he was going to have to look into some remedial training for the unit. Admittedly, his own instincts were screaming for him to attack the dangerous figure reading before them, but he could control himself. He had seen the remnants of his man after a single finger flick, and there was no way he was tempting fate by launching another doomed attack. Besides, despite her extended retirement, Tsunade of the Sannin was definitely a Kage-level ninja and way out of their range. He would simply have to be patient.

Honestly, the Hunter Ninja had not wanted things to get so out of control in the first place. The only reason he had allowed his men to launch such an attack was to gather more information on the blonde's chakra system. While he thought the gathered data was worth it, he would be the first to admit that things might have gotten a little out of control. Ao could just not understand the level of loyalty that the brat had for a village that rumor stated did such horrible things to him in the first place. Either the rumors were wrong, or his possible conditioning was too deep to remove without killing the kid. Or Tsunade had not attempted to do so for the good of her village.

Looking up from her reading, the blonde Kunoichi rolled up the scroll. "While I understand the reasons that you would want me to get this so quickly, was it really necessary to attack my students and a civilian? One would almost think that Mizukage-san's motives were to lure us with a false offer before trapping us for experimentation. Such offers have been used as smoke screens before by all the major and minor villages, so it would be nothing new." Swallowing, Ao knew right then and there he would have to be careful. The offer was not bait so much as a plan A, and if Tsunade even suspected this and retaliated appropriately, he would have to face two enraged Kunoichi. Either the Sannin would kill him for a perceived attack, or Mizukage-sama would flambe him for initiating legitimate hostilities with Konoha.

Thinking quickly, Ao sighed. "My sincerest apologies Lady Tsunade, but we had to be sure of their credentials. If they were falsely claiming to be your students, then direct combat was the easiest way to determine authenticity. After all, only a student of someone on the level of the Sannin would even make us break a sweat in the middle of the ocean. You should be proud of both their stamina and control." Of course, the information gathering was not mentioned, but that could simply be assumed. Besides, without looking under his eye patch, it was doubtful that Tsunade would understand just how much data he had actually gathered.

The blonde frowned but, thankfully, did not seem ready to call him on his half truth. Tapping the scroll, the Sannin sighed, "While I am honored by the interest Mizukage-san has shown in myself and my students, I must ask that you send her my deepest regrets. Our current mission cannot be delayed at the moment, but upon its completion I would be most interested in possibly opening talks with Kiri. The information about accepting Kekkei Genkai is most welcome news, and I hope to hear nothing more of those horrible massacres anytime soon." Hearing the challenging note in her voice, Ao winced. While the blonde Chunin had made the accusation before, hearing such talk from the Sannin told him exactly where she stood on the issue. It was not a part of their history he was particularly proud of to be honest.

Tossing the scroll to the Hyuga, Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "In the meantime, you have completed your mission, so it would probably be best if you left. This area has a decommissioned base belonging to a traitor of Konoha, and we are in the process of shutting it down. I would shudder to think what would happen if he came by and several uninvolved ninja happened to be in the vicinity. Please send Mizukage-san my regards, and I wish you a safe trip home."

At this point, Ao was in a bit of a quandary. Mizukage-sama's orders were clear that they were to incorporate Tsunade's group by any viable means possible. According to the letter of the orders, once the Kunoichi disregarded the scroll, his team should at least have attempted to get a hostage or two. However, looking into the Sannin's eyes, Hokage's hat firmly in place marking her station, Ao knew such an attempt would cause more trouble than it was worth. Besides, he had information that Mei was going to desperately need if his suspicions were correct.

On that note, this would be an excellent opportunity to plant a few seeds for the future. "Very well, Lady Tsunade we shall take our leave. Just remember that you or any of your party are more than welcome in Kiri. Men, move out." Jumping away, Ao kept his face impassive, hoping none of his comrades did anything stupid. As leader of the expedition, he would have enough to explain to Mizukage-sama. The idea of telling her about several dead comrades would just be icing on the cake.

* * *

Observing the squad leave, Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief. While the offer was not completely unexpected, she had to admit that it had caught her by surprise. Rumors had flown after Orochimaru's defection, reaching even her in the midst of gambling and drinking out in the boonies. No matter what some would like to believe, the Snake Sannin had been heavily courted by several major and minor villages before joining Akatsuki. Having a similar proposition land in her lap like that was an uncomfortable parallel that she did not like thinking about.

The most concerning thing about the situation was the denial of her actual status. While polite, both the Mizukage's letter and Hunter Ninja Ao's manner of address emphasized her social status and war record. The way that both did not call her Hokage, even with the actual hat in front of Ao's eyes, stated pretty strongly that Kiri did acknowledge her leadership of Konoha. After all, it would make no sense to invite a foreign leader into your village, but a rouge ninja was an entirely different prospect. If not handled carefully, this might just upset the balance of power within the Elemental Nations!

Turning her attention to her apprentices and Amachi's prototype, she felt a sense of foreboding. While both had indeed come a long way, today's skirmish had shown her the truth. With all their successes against rogue ninja, the blonde had become complacent about their development. The level of their opponents so far could be termed technical Jonin at the highest. But the Kiri Hunter Squads demonstrated that the potential enemies could be so much more powerful. They were heading for the big leagues now, and if the great villages were beginning to discover the group that easily, she would have to take it up a notch. Smiling at her apprentices attempts to calm the civilian down, Tsunade started heading over to check on them. At least Kiri's offer could come in handy later.

Hearing a rustle, the Sannin turned only to relax. Both Hana and Shizune stood there, loaded down with numerous scrolls. Even the Inuzuka's triplet partners had medical instruments attached to them. Looking a little green, Shizune stood forward to report. "As ordered, Tsunade-sama, all the documentation that we could discover in the base have been collected and sealed. Between that, the prototype bodies, and Amachi's final production model, we should be able to understand quite a bit about what went on here. Do you have any further orders?"

Mindful of the potential dangers of remaining out in the open, Tsunade directed her ninja. "I want us back on the coast in twenty minutes, about five miles north from Isaribi-san's house. You, Hana, Naruto and Hinata will go over the materials from the lab and divide the storage scrolls among the four of you. I'm going into town to remove the traces of our visit and gather some more supplies. We will be out of Sea Country before the sun sets. In the mean time, we'll decide our new location after I get back to camp."

Seeing her ninja nod their agreement, Tsunade finally looked over the transformed civilian. Recognizing the creativity of her former teammate, the Kunoichi suppressed a wince. Forcing her reactions to remain calm and natural, the medic kneeled down on the water to try and put the girl at ease. "Isaribi, my name is Tsunade of the Sannin, Godaime Hokage. I know that you are probably scared and confused right now, but if you will allow me to help you, I will do my best to make you feel better. Unfortunately, a very bad man might be coming here, and if he's allowed to get his hands on you, I'm not sure what would happen. We can talk more before we leave, but we need to get back to the mainland and out of sight. Otherwise we'll all be in danger. Do you understand?" Seeing the hesitant nod, Tsunade decided that was the best she was going to manage right now.

Turning to her most unpredictable student, Tsunade gave the boy a smirk. "We'll talk later about the idiocy of taking on three squads of Kiri Hunter Ninja and a Captain in the middle of the ocean later, Naruto. For now, I want you looking after Isaribi while we plan our next move. While I'm sure she can swim quite fast, let's all stay together now shall we?" Left unsaid that, while in the boy's arms, the transformed teen was less likely to run off out of their reach. Seeing the blushing girl secured in the Chunin's arms, Tsunade turned towards the mainland. "Alright everybody, it's time to move out!" With barely a splash, the group was gone.

* * *

Curled under a tree, Isaribi could not find the energy to move. The high emotions of the day had left her empty, and the mere thought of enthusiasm and effort left her feeling cold. As any medic could tell you, a normal mind no matter how strong, needed periods of time to rest and recharge after stressful situations. But the orphan was simply a civilian, and only knew that too much had happened too quickly. Now, despite all that had changed and the new opportunities before her, the test subject was left feeling oddly hollow.

Idly watching the Konoha ninja going through the various documents and remnants of Amachi's lab, Isaribi could barely suppress a shiver. When the Fuuma ninja had attacked Naruto and Hinata, she had felt only desperation and awe at what she had seen. Despite that, both children, not much older than her, had shown such strength and determination, that it left her feeling hope. Enemies that could crush her had been but a moments work for the two, and it returned a small sliver of her confidence that everything was going to be ok. Then the Kiri ninja had launched their follow up attack, and that sense of peace was shattered.

Despite the blonde's boasts, the larger and more powerful ninja had completely controlled the fight. While she knew that there were a number of factors that led to that defeat, including facing ninja that specialized in water techniques in the middle of the freaking ocean, her time under the mad scientist had taught her some harsh realities. Among them was the simple fact that there was never a second chance if the first could put you down. This group was facing some serious trouble, and that moment of conflict highlighted the key problem she was facing. Neither ninja, despite how strong she thought them, was powerful enough to protect themselves from everything. No matter how much they claimed to want to help her, Isaribi could be in serious danger if she tried to work with this weird group.

Yet on the other hand, when Tsunade of the Sannin, the woman that the whole trap had been about in the first place, decided to step in, it opened Isaribi's eyes to the ultimate truth. These people, these potential friends were going to grow to heights that she could never even begin to imagine. So what right did she have to hold them back? Even if the blonde Hokage was able to heal her, just being associated with them could be enough to sign her death warrant. Her problems were nowhere near severe enough to get tangled up in this mess, and her inclusion could only put them at risk. Suddenly, hiding in the ocean for the rest of her life did not sound so bad.

Hearing a slight rustle, she looked up to see the blonde Sannin enter the clearing. Raising a hand in greeting, the woman smiled in an oddly familiar way. Isaribi was jolted, suddenly reminded of a mother herding too many children. "Well, sorry to take so long, but I wanted to check in with the local militia. It was a good thing that you guys located that vault with the stolen gold, or it might have taken even longer. As it was, the captain wanted to launch an attack on the island. Luckily, I was able to convince him that the situation was taken care of, and further investigation would probably just get his men killed. After that, he was even nice enough to give me a small finder's fee."

Removing some scrolls from a pack, Tsunade tossed them to each ninja. "Leave your stuff sealed for now. We'll clear out the storage scrolls later, but speed is of the essence. Amachi might have sent a message to Orochimaru before launching his plan. The longer we wait, the higher the chance that we will have to deal with enemy ninja. Is everything from the lab ready to move?"

Clearing her throat, the odd brunette carrying a pig nodded her affirmative. "The journals were no problem, but some of the more delicate instruments will be difficult to break down repeatedly. In addition, there are a couple of scrolls that will require more careful examination later on. While they appear to have information, there is some sort of technique interfering with our scans. Unfortunately, the middle of the forest is the worst possible place for that sort of examination. Other than that, everyone is ready to go at your command, Tsunade-sama." With that declaration, the quiet civilian knew what she had to do.

Clearing her throat, the girl was shocked by the raw speed with which the ninja reacted. Flustered at the sudden attention, she firmed her resolve. "Before we go any farther, I want to thank everybody for your help and support. Without that, I would probably be dead or still a slave even now." Taking a deep breath, Isaribi turned away, unwilling to see their expressions after she dropped the next bombshell. "However, I think that it would be better if we parted ways. I would only become a burden if we walked together, and lack the strength to deal with your enemies. Logically, it would be best for all involved if I left right here and now."

Hearing the loud blonde begin to rant, the civilian was surprised when Tsunade herself spoke. "Where would you go? As things stand now, you would be all alone with no one to care for you. While I have looked over some scrolls, I have not had a chance to properly examine the extent of your transformations. For all we know, Amachi keyed in a failsafe that will kill you without constant monitoring or treatment. I know it's painful, but you cannot survive alone, at least not yet. Too much was done to you for that to be viable." Closing her eyes, Isaribi forced herself not to cry. Could the woman not understand that this would be best for everyone? She was a distraction and a weakling that they did not need! Why did the Sannin have to make it so much harder than it had to be?

But Tsunade was not done. "Don't assume that you would be able to just disappear. As regrettable as it is, when the Mizukage receives her report, you will become a person of interest. Few if any of the Kages would trust Orochimaru as far as they could throw him, but they acknowledge his twisted genius. It would not surprise me that, upon learning your location, a squad of Hunter Ninja from any ninja village would be sent to unlock his secrets. Even if Amachi's work is a second rate knockoff, some would be desperate enough to risk it." Biting her lip, the girl tried not to collapse. The idea that she would be hunted even after the fall of Amachi had not even crossed her mind, and left her feeling cold. What could she do now?

Feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, Isaribi looked up into understanding brown eyes. "Orochimaru was my teammate when I was a girl. I know that it is difficult for you to understand, child, but ninja teammates become a family closer than any blood tie. Therefore, as much as I hate what he has become, I acknowledge my debt to help correct his wrongs. I promise that we will let you leave at any time, but at least let me try to fix this first. It is by far the least I could do." Seeing the honesty in ageless woman's face, Isaribi could not bring herself to say no. Surrendering to the inevitable, Isaribi allowed Tsunade to pick her up. There was no way she could keep up otherwise.

Isaribi was no ninja, so the signals that initiated the journey completely passed her by. Still, she had to admit that flying through the air was kind of fun. Watching the scenery speed past, the young girl made a decision. She would do her best to get better while learning everything she could. That way, no one would be able to use her in such a way ever again. Looking behind the leading Sannin, she caught Naruto and Hinata chatting excitedly despite being weighed down with scrolls. Still, even if it was not forever, at least she friends again. To a lonely orphan, there could be no greater reprieve.

* * *

Leaping through the air, the negligible weight of Isaribi pinned against her front, Tsunade began to review their options. While she had done her best to assure the poor child that she would not be a bother, the Sannin had to admit that carting around an untrained and potentially dangerous civilian was not an ideal situation. Unfortunately, the fastest way to settle the matter had been to explain the proper logic as to why sending her off alone would help no one. Otherwise, Naruto's emphatic denial would have probably been heard from back in Konoha, and half the continent would have come down on their heads. Besides, it was the right thing to do.

Still, Shizune was probably doing a mental tap dance, singing about how she had told the Sannin so. Risking a quick glance at the brunette apprentice, Tsunade suppressed a wince at the familiar self-righteous gleam in the younger woman's gaze. Although she had no plans on vocalizing it, the blonde had to admit that a base of operations would be very helpful right about now. While a safe house might give away their positions or become the focus of an ambush, checking out the details of unethical medical experiments would really not work in the middle of a hotel. There was nowhere near enough space for that sort of examination, and the proper security precautions would be impossible.

They needed a place big enough to ensure their cover, while at the same time providing a sense of familiarity and people who would not ask questions. Someplace like the capitol would be a disaster, but a trading post might just work. However, it would have to be very well appointed, based upon what her examination of Isaribi turned up. In all honesty, she could think of nearly a dozen such places that would fit those requirements. The annoying thing was that they all landed within the borders of the Land of Fire, and she did not want to be noticed there right now.

Still, there did not appear to be much choice. Motioning to her head apprentice with a nod, she waited until the younger woman came closer before speaking softly. "I think that we need to head back to the Land of Fire for the moment. However, be prepared to make this stop as quick as possible. While I'm sure that Jiraiya has Konoha under control, who knows what other factions might try if they get word of our presence within the country. Meanwhile, I need suggestions as to our next base of operations."

Frowning, the serious brunette bit her lip, a habit Tsunade had spent nearly two decades trying to get her to break. "Well, if we're talking about a place where money talks and people don't, Otafuku Gai might be a good spot. I think that we don't owe anyone money there, and several of the properties don't mind renting by the day. We could examine Isaribi and plan our next moves in relative safety. In a worst case scenario, Konoha is only about twelve kilometers away, so Jiraiya-sama could send us support if necessary."

Sighing, Tsunade shook her head, "Its proximity to Konoha is exactly why I don't want to use Otafuku Gai. If any Konoha ninja saw Naruto in his current condition, the slight level of security our mission provides us wouldn't be worth the scroll it's written on. Besides, if more hunter teams like Kiri's get close, it could cause greater tensions for the village, and underline weaknesses we don't need our enemies thinking about." Making a face, Tsunade snorted. "Also, most of the medical supplies we could acquire there would be geared towards dealing with issues from the Pleasure Quarter."

Allowing a small smile, Shizune sighed. "Unfortunately, the Land of Fire doesn't have a lot of trading towns that meet all of our needs. By definition they're hard to track, so keeping too many is a security risk. Tanzaku Gai comes close, but that would be too obvious to Orochimaru's spy network. After all, that city does have several important memories associated with it." Remembering her first meeting with Naruto, Tsunade shared a light chuckle with her apprentice. Blinking, Shizune smiled. "Oh, I've got just the place! Let's use Crater City! Between all the tourists and black market activity, it's perfect for our plans."

Thinking back to the community within the crater, often rumored to be the result of a massive ninja battle to draw in tourists, Tsunade smiled. "You know, I think you've got something there. It's close enough to Konoha in case of an emergency, but far enough away that we shouldn't draw their attention unless absolutely necessary." Allowing her smile to turn sinister, the blonde let out a dark chuckle. "Maybe the brat will finally give Hinata proper date for all her trouble." Seeing the matching grin on Shizune's face, the Hokage reminded herself to take care of that later. Honestly, it would probably make things go easier if they were out of the way during the exam.

"Very well, let's go with that. Go and inform the others that it will take about five days until we reach our next location. In the meantime, let's plan to stop an hour before sunset. I do believe its time to put my students through their paces, don't you?" Not bothering to wait for an affirmative, Tsunade began to speed up, mindful of the sleeping civilian still in her arms. Things were getting much more dangerous, and it was her fault for getting complacient. Now she would have to focus completely upon Naruto and Hinata, forcing thoughts of international politics out her mind. At least she could trust Jiraiya to keep things together back in Konoha. If she had to worry about her own hunter ninja, who knew what would happen?

* * *

Leaning back, Jiraiya attempted to keep his face impassive. Mentally, though, he was beginning to invent new languages to swear in. "You know, I really thought things were going so well. I really should have known better than to tempt fate like that, don't you think?" Seeing the ANBU team remain in position, unwavering at his tone, the Toad Sage allowed himself to finally get angry. Slamming his hand down, he glared at the leader of the unit. "Tell me Cat, how you have managed to fail your mission for the last week!"

Stepping forward, the ANBU Kunoichi kept her voice calm and collected. Only someone with significant experience or the Byakugan would be able to sense her frustration. "I assure you, Jiraiya-sama, that every effort has been put forth to sabotage the Elder's D-rank missions. Regrettably, a number of mitigating factors have prevented completion of your directive. Unless things change radically, I foresee Elders Homura and Koharu completing their one hundred mission recertification within the week."

"While of advanced age, both subjects possess significant abilities that have not taken much effort to reemerge. Although we could initially redirect trouble into their paths, or sabotage elements of their missions before they began, recently the two have demonstrated a level of paranoia that makes such actions impractical. Despite our skill, both are capable of detecting our movements, and now work to actively counter them. For example, in their latest mission to gather groceries for a local household, we removed several items on the agenda from the target store. Yet Koharu was able to barter with other merchants that knew her by name. In terms of familiarity with the available distribution of resources within the village, they are second to none."

"Another problem is that our ability to control which missions they receive. With the recent personnel losses, the Mission Office has been scrambling to allocate everybody they can. A surprisingly large contingent of civilians has begun to request the two by name for soft missions such as baby sitting and local escorts. We just don't have the man power to create specialized missions to sabotage their efforts with everything else going on." Pausing, the purple haired ANBU continued with a slight hesitancy. "In fact, it appears that both elders are attempting to gain popular support while working, using socialization during their tasks. Already, we have observed numerous gatherings among Konoha Citizens, questioning the use of the Elders in such a manner. To beg your pardon, Jiraiya-sama, but without intentionally endangering Konoha Citizens, I do not see any practical way to stop them without making your intentions obvious."

Turning towards the window, Jiraiya felt a headache coming on. When he had originally come up with the D-rank recertification idea to tie the elders up, the Toad Sage had not in his wildest dreams believed that the two old farts would actually use this as a chance to get back into fighting form. With all their whining and moping, he could almost forget that both had trained with his Sensei in their prime. Now, both were demonstrating why they were Jonin when he was still in diapers. It was downright humiliating!

He almost considered Iruka's merry band of pranksters, but disregarded that with a moment's consideration. Although the kids had shown significant growth and ability with their actions, the Elders were definitely beyond their scope. The fossils had been there for most of their lives, and knew the Academy Students, and their teacher, inside and out. Plus, if they were to discover the fact that all the kids had his unofficial approval, they would use it in a heartbeat to turn the population against him. Between the messes, lost business, and blood loss from nosebleeds, there were way too many people with a bone to pick with the elusive group.

Sighing, Jiraiya had to admit he had outwitted himself once again. Sure the plan was useful, and had worked well for quite some time. Unfortunately, now his enemies had gained more than anticipated, and would have to be carefully controlled. "Alright Cat, I understand the situation. As annoying as it is, I want you to pull back for the moment. Finding themselves without constant observation might make them hesitate a bit before completing their hundred missions. Go to standby, and I will contact you for the next stage of my plan; Dismissed." Watching the ANBU disperse, Jiraiya began to thing furiously about the next stage would actually entail. If he did not keep those coots in check, Tsunade-hime would probably try to neuter him again!

* * *

Standing before the Mizukage, Ao did his best to remain calm. Once he and his teams had returned without their targets, Mei had wasted no time in dragging them before her for debriefing. The process had taken hours, as each member was questioned alone and in groups for the most comprehensive review of the situation. Now, as the leader and highest ranked member of the retrieval mission, he was left alone with a leader that had more than a passing idea as to what had happened. Thus, when it came time to give his own interpretation, he held nothing back, explaining every action and order to the best of his ability. Given the amount of time the mission had taken, he had spoken for well over an hour. Much to his consideration, the Mizukage had not asked a single question, and upon the completion of his report had left him standing for nearly another hour in complete silence. If something did not change soon, he might simply ask to be dismissed to recover. Using the Byakugan so much had drained him significantly.

Finally, the red head made the first move. Standing, the Mizukage calmly walked around her desk, face an impenetrable mask. Ao barely had a moment to admire her easy motion before pain blossomed in his gut. Mei was the strongest of Kiri for a reason, so when she lashed out with a punch, the Hunter Ninja could barely follow it, let alone block. Gasping in pain, he dropped to his knees, strength spent just remaining conscious.

Apparently unmoved by his plight, Mei began to speak, her voice as cold as ice. "I have known you for many years, Ao. You were one of my strongest supporters during the civil war, and have been with me through both thick and thin. Despite what I sometimes state, I always thought you worthy as my right hand, and have been thankful for your continued presence. Yet, never before today have I wanted to rip you apart so badly." Allowing her rage to flash in her eyes, the Mizukage grabbed Ao by the throat. "Your assignment was to recruit Tsunade or, if failing that, acquire some of her companions and supplies for the good of Kiri. While willing compliance would have been preferred, force was always an acceptable possibility."

Squeezing, Mei's infamous temper broke, much to Ao's growing fear. He had not seen the woman like this since entombing a squad of Yagura's death squads in lava. "Yet when presented with a prime opportunity to capture three useful subjects, including a Hyuga and an artificial kekkei genkai designed by Orochimaru's organization, you refuse to act! You do not initiate any order to capture, attempt to bargain with rookie Chunin, and fold without a pause when your primary target appeared! Despite her status as a Kage, Tsunade should have been an easy mark with thirteen Kiri Jonin fighting on the surface of the ocean. Instead, you provide her evidence of the operation, and allow her to go free!" Dropping him, Mei's voice changed from icy to downright glacial. "The only reason I give you a chance to explain is because of our long association with one another. But I would suggest you speak quickly."

Forcing himself to speak, Ao cleared his throat painfully. He had better make this good, or he would be toast, literally! "As you are aware, I observed the altercation between Tsunade's students and the Oto ninja with my Byakugan. However, I have a theory about the situation that I did not share with the rest of the squad. I believe that the information I gathered indicates something significant about Tsunade's official mission and the unofficial reasons for undertaking it. However, this might take a while to explain, so might I be allowed to sit down? I think that, once you have all the facts and understand my reasoning, you will agree with my decisions. Plus, you might want to activate the security seals around the office just to be safe." Seeing the barest of nods from the still enraged Mei, Ao did not waste any time to get situated. He had contemplated this for most of the trip back to Kiri, and wanted to get everything perfect.

Now sitting and secure, Ao began his explanation. "During our examinations of the situation, most of the focus has been about the possible gains we could obtain, and less about the underlying reasons for Tsunade's actions. This blonde that was supposedly injured did have a bit of a reputation, but nothing that would constitute a Kage leaving their village to provide personal treatment. However, after observing the boy in action, I can honestly state that he demonstrated significant ability. I would almost think that the rumors of his abuse were falsely planted to provide a cover story, if I did not see the improvement of his chakra flow over the course of the fight." Biting his lip in an uncharacteristic sign of nervousness, Ao forced himself to continue. "However, Mizukage-sama the only other person that I have observed with chakra density and volume of such potential was Yagura himself." Seeing Mei freeze at his proclamation, the Hunter ninja knew his point had been made. Only one kind of ninja would have that sort of power at their disposal.

Turning her back, Mei's voice remained strong despite her visible concern. "Are you telling me Ao, that you believe that Tsunade is currently personally training a Jinchuuriki of Konoha? If this is a joke, it is in very poor taste. Both of us know that there is only one Biju currently unaccounted for, and the implications could be significant." After all, Kyuubi was considered the strongest of all known Biju. The idea of a Sannin trained container of the fox was downright terrifying. "Besides, if he was a Jinchuuriki, he should have been trained to his full potential years ago. Why would Tsunade need to leave Konoha to train the container when it reveals such an important part of her arsenal to outside forces? Your logic is intrinsically flawed, Ao."

Knowing that his leader had calmed with his news, Ao shook his head in denial. "I admit that Tsunade's actions do not make much sense on the surface, but I have a theory. Even if there was some flaw with the boy that required remedial training or physical abnormality that limited his ability to draw on the Kyuubi chakra, it would make more sense to hide this fact or contact Jiraiya of the Sannin to act in her stead. But if you take everything that we know about the situation, a new possibility comes into play."

Gathering himself, Ao finally allowed himself to vocalize his thoughts since meeting with the blonde. "Imagine for a moment that the Jinchuuriki was abused as we have heard? To the best of our knowledge, Konoha never created a Jinchuuriki in an effort to demonstrate their power like other nations. When the Kyuubi attacked thirteen years ago, it only makes sense that the Yondaime Hokage would have the necessary knowledge to construct a seal to trap the beast. He was a powerful Seal Master after all. Now Konoha, even with the following conflicts with Kumo has long been established the strongest of the major ninja villages. What if, instead of seeing the boy as a weapon with potential unrivaled, they instead saw a scapegoat for their pain from the attack itself?"

Looking away, the Mizukage nodded slightly. "It is not an unreasonable theory. While a ninja village, Konoha is probably filled with civilians that do not understand the sacrifices and requirements for such a technique. Many of the ninja might be fooled as well, lacking the knowledge of seals and the practical familiarity that such a burden can bring. It is not like we have not seen the same sorts of reactions within our own civilian population concerning kekkei genkai over the years."

Remembering his own issues with the xenophobic Kiri populace, Ao nodded. "When taken in the context of revenge, such extreme actions make more sense. In fact, their efforts probably failed to release the Kyuubi by accident only because of the reputed skills of the Yondaime Hokage. While Kiri was too busy with the civil war at the time, other nations did test their strength. What if, at the very highest levels, the fact that this Jinchuuriki existed became a deterrent? No one would want to advertize Konoha holding that sort of strength if they could manage it. Yet at the same time, only the strongest or those with their own Jinchuuriki would even attempt to fight. It would explain why the only one to initiate hostilities would be Kumo, who is reported to possess two Jinchuuriki with ten tails of power combined. Anything less would hesitate to launch hostilities against even the word Kyuubi."

Seeing his line of reasoning, Mei continued the thought. "But if the vessel was simply a child, then it could all be an elaborate bluff. The Sandaime Hokage was very powerful, but the elderly tend to seek peace over position. There have been rumors of trouble between Kumo and Konoha ever since their nonaggression treaty was signed. While our spies could not discover much, there is definitely some bad blood there. Meanwhile, the population of Konoha can turn around and release their anger at the one thing that they blame their situation upon."

Ao, smiled sadly. "That is exactly my point, Mizukage-sama. The blonde could simultaneously become the symbol of Konoha's potential strength and scapegoat. The population remains unified during the difficult times after the attack and the ninjas are allowed to rebuild from the resulting chaos. It would not surprise me if more people started to oppress the boy after the Uchiha Massacre. No matter how soft the Sandaime Hokage was, there was no way he would allow one child to come before his village. Therefore, it only makes sense he would turn a blind eye to any abuse or trouble the boy received in order to keep his own forces unified in times of despair. Perhaps he even used this as an opportunity to condition the boy, gaining the trust of something with great potential with food or minimal protection."

"Now we fast forward to the present. Konoha has been invaded and a significant portion of its ninja population is lost in the fighting. The village has also lost the majority of its most powerful Kekkei Genkai clan and ninja. Tsunade rises to power and, observing the situation, decides that an active Jinchuuriki would be very helpful to discourage any further attacks. Yet, she discovers the boy has been weakened, and the population is now conditioned to use him as they see fit. For both a Kage and a healer of Tsunade's skill, this would never do. As the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage, she would be more than familiar with the burdens and realities of a Jinchuuriki. If I was her, I would act with all possible haste to rectify the situation. So she comes up with a plan that will fix things while keeping the ninja world too busy to take advantage of Konoha."

Eyes widening, the red haired Kunoichi shook her head in admiration. "Ao, that's brilliant! Tsunade leaves Konoha, and every major and minor village would devote key resources to her capture or recruitment. Not only is Konoha left alone, but she can rehabilitate and recondition their Jinchuuriki to become the force it should have been! Using a Hyuga, they can keep an eye out for intruders while simultaneously building new bonds for the kid in Konoha. It would not surprise me if she is being used to seduce the boy as we speak to develop his loyalty." Smirking, Mei leaned back in a stretch. "I have to admit that I underestimated Tsunade. Truly, this is a worthy Hokage to deal with!" Seeing his leader calm down, Ao allowed himself a sigh of relief. It appeared that he would not be dying today.

However, his respite was halted by the Mizukage's cold statement. "Nevertheless Ao, this still does not explain your actions. If the boy is indeed a Jinchuuriki, it was all the more important that he be brought under our control. At the very least, you should have assured that Konoha had their weapon taken out. In addition, leaving the physical message with my seal in Tsunade's hands just got a lot more dangerous. She could use the offer to blackmail our entire country or weaken our standing with the Daimyo's. Now explain your reasoning for such dangerous and potentially devastating choices."

Fighting to remain calm, Ao faced his superior with a slight sheen of sweat. "Mizukage-sama, if my theory is correct, this is a vital time in the blonde's development. While brilliant, Tsunade's plan has one major potential flaw; the boy himself. While a monster, Yagura did not become one due to his tenant. It was the genjutsu that controlled him that made the Yondaime into what he became. The same could be said of this blonde. While I'm sure that Tsunade is doing her best to ensure his loyalty remains strong, by showing him other opportunities and making them his choice, the boy might very well come to us. The idea of forcing an unwilling Jinchuuriki of the strongest Biju into the heart of Kiri, only to have him self destruct out of stubbornness filled me with concern. Therefore, I did my best to keep him open to the idea."

Seeing that the Mizukage was no longer about to kill him, Ao allowed himself to smile a bit. "Besides, even the worst case scenario gives us a potential alliance with the Hokage. We're still recovering ourselves from the war, and I personally would prefer to be on the right side of such a leader. But in the best case, we gain the Jinchuuriki of the most powerful of the Biju and the Byakugan, if he brings along his little friend. Only two people who trust each other absolutely can fight that well together. Tsunade's manipulations could end up delivering us the beginnings of a new clan of Hyuga to fight for us. All in all, it appears to be a winning situation no matter what happens."

Absorbing his words, the Mizukage sighed. "While you paint a pretty picture Ao, I am not so sure. Your intentions were good and methods acceptable, but the end results might be too risky. We are one of the five great villages, and I refuse to allow all our options to be limited by the feelings of a single boy." Piercing him with a glare, Mei began to speak with the fierceness of a forest fire. "You and your team will be given twenty four hours in which to rest yourselves. Then, I have a new mission for you. Locate and retrieve the missing ninja Utakata with all possible speed. I had hoped to delay his retrieval to allow the memory of Yagura's atrocities time to fade, but we now lack that option. Find Kiri's last Jinchuuriki so that we may face Konoha as equals. I will not have my village appearing weak!" Wincing at her killing intent, Ao left to instruct his men and get some well deserved rest. If he remembered Utakata correctly, this was going to be a long search.

* * *

Authors Notes

And now the real chaos can begin!

I hope, for all the interested parties involved, that this chapter met your expectations. I know that the conflict with the Kiri Hunter ninja was rather minimal but that was the point. A good Naruto fight takes minutes. Its only when things get too complicated that it drags out into hour long conflicts. Well, either that or a two episode flashback to allow Naruto to relate to his opponents.

For those of you who are wondering, yes, if Tsunade had not interfered Naruto and Hinata would have lost. I debated this point with a few friends, and we came to the conclusion that a four to one advantage when the enemy has elemental superiority is grounds enough for a Naruto defeat. Ao and company are supposed to have the skills to beat Tsunade! Of course they would beat a couple of relatively raw Chunin! Oh, and the reason that the Mizukage thinks that Ao should have won when he did not was the fact most of her information about the blonde came from outdated sources. She finds it difficult to believe that someone would really be that strong after living in semi-retirement for over a decade.

The reason I wanted to demonstrate a Naruto defeat is that, unless things get more difficult, his growth seems to be worthless. Do you really want to read three or four more arcs of Naruto making people kill themselves by looking at them cross eyed? That would get boring, so that is why we introduce Shippuuden elements to liven things up! After all, it's only fair.

Oh, and for those of you who wondered when the Mizukage even expressed interest in the group, please go back and read Chapter Twenty: Elemental Attraction. That should make things clearer.

Now for the next chapter! Growth of any sort is usually painful. But you never know who can come to help ease the sting of your lessons. Stay tuned!


	34. Mounting Pressure

No I don't own Naruto. There are no pokeballs big enough to catch them all, no matter what the Akatsuki think.

Chapter Thirty One: Mounting Pressure

Coming up on a clearing, Tsunade signaled for a rest. They had managed to reach the border of the Land of Fire with few problems, and were now in an ideal position to get back to work. Over the course of the journey, she had asked Isaribi a number of questions, and had a fairly good idea as to what had and more importantly had not happened in the confrontation with Kiri. While she was overall happy with her apprentices, the blonde knew that the training would have to be picked up if they were going to be able to handle a situation like that again. No, that was not quite accurate. Her job was instead to train her students to handle worse than that on a regular basis. Realizing the enormity of her task, Tsunade began to look forward to the upcoming stop in civilization and its available bars.

Still, S-class missing ninja wait for no one. "Isaribi, why don't you help Shizune set up the camp for the night? I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions that you have, within reason. Hana, go find some meat for the evening, we could all use a hot meal after the last couple of days. Naruto, make a clone to help and come with me and Hinata. I think that the three of us need to have a little private chat." Seeing her younger apprentices show signs of nervousness, Tsunade decided to allow them to stew a bit. They would need every edge they could get for what was ahead.

Leading the two teens away from the camp site, Tsunade found a fallen tree to rest on. Turning to her subordinates, she fought to keep her tone calm and collected. "Now that we have a moment of time, I want a complete report on the situation that happened back in Sea Country. Begin with the moment that we were separated and leave nothing out." Listening to their duel with the Fuuma ninja, the blonde was mentally swearing up a storm. This was one of the reasons that she was uncomfortable with leadership. She had to listen to the danger her comrades faced after the fact, when there was nothing she could have done. Although she was definitely taking a chunk out of Naruto's hide later. If Jiraiya ever discovered that he had used a Yuri clone make out session with her image, the old pervert would insist on a repeat performance for his next book!

Turning away for a moment, Tsunade allowed both Chunin to squirm for a moment. She needed to make a point as clearly and completely as possible, but was hesitant. Between tempering Naruto's mind and building Hinata's confidence over the last few months, if her next few actions were in any way unclear it could undo all that hard work. Still, she decided that the best option was to have faith. That was all a teacher could really do for a student after all. Reaching into a pouch, she took a summoning scroll prepared back in Sea Country. Originally it was going to be an emergency food supply, but this was more important.

Unsealing the contents of the scroll, Tsunade threw a fish in front of each Chunin. "You are to revive each fish, right here and now. In the field you will not always have time or materials to prepare for such an operation, so both of you should be able to accomplish this task as is. Get to work." Resealing the rest of the fish, a nice alternative to ration bars and somewhat difficult to find inland, Tsunade sat back and watched. As expected, Hinata was able to revive her fish within five minutes. Surprisingly, Naruto accomplished the same thing, even though it took him nearly three times as long. Checking their work, Tsunade was pleased that they both passed, although Naruto would need a little work on details, his subject would still recover.

Resealing the fish, Tsunade faced them with a cool expression. "Today, you both demonstrated basic mastery of the first technique any medical ninja needs to learn in order to qualify for service. What is impressive is that you accomplished this within four months. Unless the practitioner is particularly skilled or has exceptional chakra control, it is normal for this step to take at least six months. However, I must say that this is not enough. You both will have to do better." Seeing the anger in Naruto's eyes was expected, but the hurt in Hinata's gaze was surprisingly painful. She honestly liked the shy Hyuga, and knew how hard she had been working to improve. Tsunade could only try to make herself understood before this spiraled out of control.

Per normal operating procedure, Naruto did not suppress his feelings in the slightest. "What the hell, Baa-chan? We have been doing nothing by training and getting stronger all this time. Both Hinata-chan and I kick major ass, and all you can say is that we have to do better? You're the one who's been so stingy with the jutsu! How are we supposed to get better when you only give us the same stuff to work on over and over? But we have both bled and strained for our training, and you have no right claiming that we are not been trying our best!" Facing down the younger blonde, Tsunade for once kept her infamous temper. Naruto was an impressive ninja and person, but there were some times where he was still such a child. Honestly, she was going to hate being there when that changed.

Nevertheless, she had no choice as both a Sensei and Hokage to establish her dominance before Naruto got really wound up. "If you believe that you can defeat three squads of Kiri hunter ninja and their captain in the middle of the ocean, then you are obviously not trying hard enough!" Seeing both ninja tense at her words, Tsunade sighed. "I'm not mad about your reasons, and fully support them. None of us expected a group of Kiri Jonin that large to suddenly appear, or to be interested in our little group. That was a miscalculation upon my part and I am sorry about it. However, this does demonstrate the fact that we must get stronger faster. Naruto, how many Shadow Clones have you actually been using during your extra training?"

Starting, Naruto scratched his head. "Well, at the beginning I would only make maybe twenty clones. But then some of the clones would replace the dispersed ones and I got used to using more and more. I think that I was up to a hundred clones working together in that last stop before Sea Country." Closing her eyes, Tsunade counted to ten. It would not do to reverse months of effort by ripping the blonde's head from his shoulders.

"The reason that I wanted you to work with fewer clones was three fold. First, I wanted to ensure that your mind would not be overloaded by too many clones dispersing at once. However, it appears that you have adapted to absorbing the information, so that should no longer be a major concern. Secondly, I wanted you to get used to better control with larger reserves of Chakra. The more clones you created, the less chakra each had. Thus, it was easier to control the amount of energy each used. The fewer clones made, the larger their energy reserves, and the greater the difficulty of the training. Still, through sheer stubbornness, you appear to have mastered that as well." Reaching over, she forced his blue eyes to lock with her own. "The third reason was to limit the traces that others could read by following our trail. Any foreign ninja that examined your training areas probably think that we are moving around an army at this point. Not only would that make international relations difficult, but provide a way for people to trace us!" Seeing the shock in Naruto's eyes, Tsunade suppressed the impulse to shake her head. While brilliant in tactics and strategy, Naruto still needed some work on his long term planning. She would have to add it to the program.

Standing, the Hokage turned to include Hinata in her discussion. "What you faced is simply one of several elite units within the other villages. Every ninja must remember that the reason that five major villages have survived through three wars is the relative strength of their members. Iwa, Kumo, Kiri, Suna and Konoha all have exceptional ninja and must respect and acknowledge that less we have another war on our hands. Those Hunter ninja were elite of the elite, and we need to respect that. If not for my personal abilities and greater experience, we all could have ended up on a medical examination table deep within their village within a matter of days!" Giving both teens a wry grin, Tsunade decided to back off a little bit. There was no reason to scare them senseless. "I know that you have grown significantly, but against these odds, such advancement is not enough. It won't be long before the other villages track us down, so I need you ready and able to defeat much more powerful and skilled opponents now, not five years from now."

Seeing that both students appeared appropriately shaken, Tsunade nodded decisively. "That being said, we do have a couple of advantages. One is our teamwork, which I admit is quite impressive. While you two have worked together the most, I don't doubt that Hana, Shizune and I would have no problems working in synch at this point. That will probably give us a vital edge when dealing with specially constructed teams designed to kill or capture us. They don't really have the time to familiarize themselves with one another, so we might gain a slight, but importantadvantage. The other would be the Shadow Clone Jutsu itself."

Turning to Hinata, Tsunade left no room for argument. "When we first began, I could honestly state that learning this technique would be far beyond you. However, with your recent growth and improved control, I believe that you can now maintain three clones at a time to safely train. This will be your assignment before the end of the evening. I want you to master the Shadow Clone with everything that you currently have. If a knucklehead like this kid can master it in a few hours, then I have no doubt that a much more skilled Kunoichi will be ready by the time the sun goes down. We will begin working with clones tomorrow to increase your knowledge base."

Turning to the sullen blonde, Tsunade smirked. "For the rest of our trip to Crater City, I will be having you two running through exercises and training drills using the Shadow Clones to refine your current skills and learn new ones. Since it's approximately five days from here to the place, and assuming you put in four hours a day of training, that will be twelve hours of relative training time a day and two and a half days of solid work before we get there. It might not sound like much, but I assure you that the difference will be notable. Naruto, leave a clone to help Hinata with her assignment. I'll let your third clone pick up whatever Hana shows you tonight and refine it for the rest of the journey. In the meantime, I found just the technique for you to learn. So, let's get to work." Confident that Naruto would be quick to follow, Tsunade moved deeper into the forest. To her gratification, the quiet blonde only took seconds to catch up.

* * *

Facing Tsunade, Naruto fought to keep the fire in his eyes. Listening to Baa-chan list their skills and finding them wanting had left the normally exuberant blonde cold. He had thought things were going so well too, with his and Hinata-chan's abilities growing by leaps and bounds. Growing stronger with a precious person gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling that he had missed since leaving Team Seven. Yet, after all their training and battles, the conflict with the Kiri ninja was a rude awakening. To the boy who would be Hokage, it made him realize just how much farther he had to go.

Meeting his gaze with a calm respect that almost looked foreign on the woman's face, Tsunade cleared her throat. "So far, you have learned three skills from the Forbidden Scroll, including the Shadow Clone Jutsu, the Kunai Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu. Before we continue, I want each of these techniques demonstrated to the best of your current ability." Sighing, Naruto reached into his worn weapons pouch. He was getting so tired of practicing these techniques and was ready for something new already!

Deciding to be a bit unpredictable in his demonstration, Naruto flung both a kunai and a shuriken simultaneously. Both techniques were essentially the same hand seals, but you had to mold the chakra differently based upon the change in mass. However, with the number of hours Naruto had logged practicing the jutsu; it was child s play to form the hand seals in less than a second while molding the chakra for both techniques. Before their eyes, both weapons went from two to thirty without a trace of smoke. Although it appeared that he had thrown them just a little too hard, when the weapons barrage managed to embed themselves within a number of tree trunks, leaving retrieval impossible.

Blinking, Tsunade looked at him oddly. "Why the hell didn't you use that against the Kiri ninja? If that's what you could do while concentrating, a hundred clones using the same technique would have at least allowed you a chance to escape. I haven't seen someone master those jutsu to that level since Sensei!" Blushing at the comparison, Naruto fought down his normal reaction to focus. It would not do for a future Hokage to start jumping around cheering at the top of his lungs. Not while Baa-chan was still annoyed with him anyways.

Thinking back to the battle, Naruto tried to answer without sounding too stupid. "Well, I was about to start a Shadow Clone barrage, when those two guys stopped me with those whips made from water. Besides, I didn't really bring any weapons with me to Isaribi's. I'm running low anyways, and didn't want to ditch them and chance some kid stealing my last kunai or shuriken. We haven't really had much of a chance to restock lately, and I didn't want to freak her out by carrying them around in the open. Those civilian outfits that Hinata-chan and I got don't exactly have a lot of hiding places you know."

Frowning, the Hokage nodded. "I guess I can see your point. Remind me to get us restocked in Crater City; they have a few decent ninja suppliers. You are going to need a new and improved set of gear before we get back anyways." Then, faster than he could blink, she had cuffed him on the head. "Oh, and that was for going into a confrontation without enough supplies! You should have asked one of us for some weapons before even entering that island!" Rubbing his head, Naruto fought back a grimace. Maybe it was the sense of invincibility that the one-handed Rasengan had brought, or the large about of time spent working on staff work, but kunai and shuriken just did not feel that important anymore. Still, it was stupid not to have enough weapons, so he would bite his tongue this time.

Shaking her head, the older blonde cracked her knuckles. "Now that we've cleared the air so to speak, I do believe it's time to show you the jutsu I've decided you need." Forming a series of hand seals faster than he could follow, Tsunade smirked before both were engulfed in darkness. Stumbling back in surprise, Naruto was literally unable to see his hands in front of his face. An unseen tap on the shoulder only added to his disorientation to the point of tripping over his own feet. Hearing Baa-chan laugh, Naruto blushed in embarrassment. He'd done a little blind fighting back in the Academy, but nothing like this. Even his above average night vision was useless in this freaking abyss!

Dropping the Jutsu, Tsunade helped him to his feet. "That was Kokuangyo no jutsu, also known as the Art of Infinite Darkness. It is a Genjutsu that my grandfather perfected during the conflicts with the Uchiha clan before Konoha's founding. Unlike the standard Genjutsu that effect chakra signals of an individual directly, this technique forms a void in the chakra within a certain area, removing all impressions and ocular senses of even the strongest ninja. Among other things, it is said that this technique allowed my Grandfather and Grand Uncle to match the forces of Uchiha Madara himself."

Gaping at the history of the technique, Naruto could not help but jump up and down in excitement. This was the coolest ability he had ever seen! Plus it was the personal ability of the Shodaime himself! With such a technique, his dream was that much closer! Pausing in his celebrations, the blonde had a thought. "Hey Baa-chan, if that technique was so awesome, why haven't I ever heard about it? I mean, everyone knows about the Shodaime's Mokuton, but a technique that can block eye techniques still sounds really cool. I'm sure Iruka-sensei would have mentioned something at least?"

Frowning, Tsunade sighed. "It's not that simple, Naruto. When Grandfather and Uchiha Madara formed Konoha, they had to make a number of concessions with the various clans that inhabit it. Both the Uchiha and the Hyuga requested that this technique be labeled as forbidden, only to be passed down to the Hokage's and their direct successors. Since both the Byakugan and the Sharingan have demonstrated a weakness when facing them, it would have only aggravated relations to continue to use it so openly. But since there are no longer any official loyal Uchiha and the Hyuga are currently on my Shit List, I can see no harm in teaching it to you. After all, one of our main opponents is an Uchiha after all." Remembering the cold and empty stare of Uchiha Itachi, Naruto felt a shiver go down his spine, If this sort of thing would help him deal with Itachi, then it was all the more important that he learn it.

Smirking, Tsunade patted his head. "Now, don't get ahead of yourself. This is considered an A rank technique, and you need to learn it fast. So be prepared to work yourself down to the bone!" Firming his stance, Naruto felt his earlier doubts melt away. This was a technique that he needed to learn to protect his precious people. He could not quit until it was perfect!

* * *

Grasping her knees in exhaustion, Hinata struggled to catch her breath under the watch of a worried Shadow Clone. Whenever she had observed Naruto-kun launch this technique, he never seemed to waver despite the massive numbers he could create in a moment. Yet, she had never thought that the raw effort required to create the technique herself would be so exhausting. Despite the months together, and the years following his training, it was only know that the shy Hyuga truly grasped the raw power that her favorite blonde wielded so effortlessly. In the end, it increased her admiration of the boy all over again.

When they had first begun their intensive training after leaving Bird Country, Naruto had offered to show her the Shadow Clone technique to help boost her own efforts. Without a pause, Tsunade-sensei had rebuffed the idea, worried that a fresh Chunin's stamina would not be up to the task of controlling the technique over long periods. She was not aware that her rate of growth was impressive enough to change the Sannin's mind, but Hinata refused to fail this test. The Shadow Clones were a key reason that Naruto had improved so much lately, and if she was to keep up it was absolutely vital that she master it as well. She refused to be a burden on his journey, and needed this strength to deal with their future opponents.

While her sentiment was nice in theory, in practice it was much more than the Kunoichi was expecting. Despite having the clone demonstrate the technique, explain the hand seals and method for molding chakra needed to execute it, Hinata was still struggling. Honestly, after mastering the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu and the basics of Tsunade-sensei's strength techniques, both of which had also made it onto the Forbidden Scroll, having trouble with the very first technique was downright depressing. Still, even being given the chance was another sign she was stronger than she was before at least.

The difficult part was forming the clone correctly, while retaining control of her chakra. Since it would take a medical genius of Tsunade-sensei's caliber to properly picture each and every organ in the human body, the creator of the technique had discovered a short cut. In essence, you created a solid shell of physical type chakra, while concentrating a cloud of mental type chakra within it. The mental chakra drove the body, while the physical chakra maintained the form. It was due to this inherent destabilization between the two chakras that the clone was actually so fragile. One strong strike forced the mental and physical chakras to interact, canceling one another and releasing the technique.

Naruto had mentioned that with time and tweaking, you could better stabilize the clone like he had in his Chunin Exam match with Neji. However, the important thing was to ensure that the shell could hold the infusion of mental chakra without mixing at all. The sheer density of energy required for something like that was a major reason that the technique was so draining. Every clone took a massive amount of physical stamina and mental concentration just to form. Directing the clones was another level of difficulty in of itself. It was possible, but the effort almost seemed superhuman at times. From what she understood of the process, this was just like when a Tailed Beast formed a body to attack. With the amount of chakra involved, it did not surprise her that only Naruto could throw around armies of the damn things, no matter how raw he seemed.

Still, the end results should be worth it. From what the Naruto clone had explained, the mental chakra of the technique was protected by the physical outer shell. So, the denser the shell, the more information returned to the body. While the physical chakra was lost, the mental chakra would return to the mind of the caster, allowing the memories to be retained. With enough practice, the strain would force her chakra to develop while severely increasing the amount of training possible. Plus, she could learn about fatal or dangerous techniques with minimal risk. What was a little shortness of breath compared to all that?

"Don't worry Hinata-chan I know you can do it!" Hearing the words of comfort and trust coming from the clone, Hinata narrowed her eyes. Even if it was just a clone, Naruto would remember everything it saw. There was no way she would appear so weak in front of her dearest person! Forcing herself to stand, the shy Hyuga almost growled, forming the familiar hand seal. Before she knew what she was doing, the young Kunoichi was looking into her own tired eyes,unmindful of the clones cries of triumph. Of course, collapsing from exhaustion was not part of the plan, but at least the clone was being nice enough to act as a comfy pillow. Smiling, Hinata decided to have a little nap.

* * *

Lurking through the underbrush, Hana smirked at the cursing blonde. While he was just a clone, the Inuzuka was not about to waste a perfectly viable training opportunity. Naruto had mastered the basic Hunter Ninja techniques last week, and she was ready to take it to the next level. While the Academy might give a decent survival overview to graduates, when it came to Naruto some extra review was never a bad idea. He was someone who always worked better with practical demonstrations, improved reading skills or no. So learning to really hunt for dinner would be the skill that kept on giving!

"Now Naruto-kun, remember you lessons. A ninja who moves silently is one who is successful. I know that you can sense our prey, but it can also sense us. Become one with your surroundings, and not even the nearest insect will feel your presence." Watching the clone calm down while remaining still, Hana smiled in accomplishment. Becoming one with nature was very difficult for even experienced ninja to learn. In fact, she knew some Jonin who still could not go through the underbrush without making a horrible amount of noise. Watching even a clone of the dead last blonde improving after so little practice was as welcome as it was baffling. From what she had seen, there was never a more natural ninja that Uzumaki Naruto. Just what sort of family could produce such a puzzle?

"Naruto-kun, what you have seen so far is nothing compared to what you will soon understand." Straightening up a bit, Hana assumed an easy lecturing tone, usually used with younger clansmen who had injured their partners during sparing. "The Academy will teach you basic survival skills, but that is nothing compared to the proper way of the hunter. It is one thing to read about the proper plants needed for medicine or how to make a smokeless campfire, but to track something with the intention to kill is a completely different exercise. Tell me what your senses tell you about the subject?"

Frowning, the clone closed its eyes. "I smell sweat and thin hair, with a strong heart beat. There's no rancid scent, just a trace of fresh cut grass, so it's probably an herbivore." Opening his eyes, the blonde looked down. "There are some broken twigs here and here showing that it's come by recently. But, there are also some marks on the lower tree branches. So it's big, and probably has horns, otherwise, it wouldn't leave scores that narrow. I'd guess it's a male deer, and an old one too."

Nodding, Hana was impressed. That was a lot more information than she expected a simple Shadow Clone to pick up on. "Correct, Naruto-kun. Now, since we know its a older deer, we must remember that it will be at it's peak performance. Deer can be very sensitive to predators and move fairly quickly when threatened. To approach something like this, you need to minimize its ability to hear or smell us coming. Stay downwind as best as you can and follow my lead." Watching her student calm his breathing, the Inuzuka gave a cheeky little grin before following the trail. While the path was no problem to follow, adding a little shake to her hips was just in good fun. Hearing him nearly stumble after a particularly notable wiggle was just the sort of boost she was in the mood for. After the stress of the last encounter, they could all use a little relaxation.

Taking a deep sniff, she held up a hand to stop their advance. Concentrating a bit of chakra to her eyes, the Kunoichi could see the outline of their prey just ahead, head bent over a water source. Gesturing that the clone should stay in place, Hana prepared herself. Feeling the flow of the forest and its inhabitants, she became a shadow, gliding across the ground with barely a whisper. The buck did not even have a chance to lift its head before she was upon it, kunai flashing in the sunset. Then there was only silence.

Making sure that the animal was completely dead, Hana let out a sigh of relief. A slip in her strike could have seriously injured the poor guy, leaving him to struggle in pain on the ground. A quick kill was the best mercy she could provide. "Alright Naruto, it's time for the final lesson of the day." Seeing the younger Chunin exit the brush, shocked with her efficiency, the Inuzuka let out a grin. "In nature, if you want to survive you pull your own weight. Grab the carcass and let's head back to camp. You can make the kill tomorrow when we have more time." Sighing, the blonde grabbed the dead deer before gesturing for her to lead the way. Smirking, Hana decided a few more wiggles were more than enough payback for that sort of attitude!

* * *

Watching a wide-eyed Isaribi looking around in shock, Shizune could not help but chuckle. While the girl had clearly been exposed to some horrible things while working with Amachi, it was clear to the elder Kunoichi that she was really quite innocent on some of the finer details of the ninja world. Of course, observing people her own age replicate themselves with ease could be a little unnerving. Hearing her question her observations, it was all the brunette could do not to laugh. The younger civilian almost sounded like her when Tsunade had first healed a cut during their training.

Still, seeing her eyes getting wider and wider with each attempt of the Shadow Clone that Hinata made, Shizune decided that extending her amusement would not serve any purpose. Tending to the bubbling pots over the fire pit, the medic sighed. "Why don't you come over and give me a hand, Isaribi-chan? I'll admit that Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan are very impressive for their age, but that's no reason to gape." Observing the child blush, the brunette smirked. It seemed like her fellow apprentices might have the beginnings of a fan girl.

Shaking her head, Isaribi helped to feed the fire as directed, a distracted look still on her face. Finally, after they managed to throw a couple of more logs on the fire, she broke their silence. "Shizune-san, is it really normal for ninja to train like this? I saw some of what Amachi's men did in their off time, but it didn't look anywhere near this intensive. Why are Naruto and Hinata working so hard?" Looking down, the medical experiment looked almost abashed at her forwardness.

Leaning back on her heals, Shizune thought about the question. While she was willing to give Isaribi a chance, there was no way of knowing what the future would bring. For all they knew, the poor girl would leave the second her condition could be treated. Still, there was no harm in a half answer. "Well, you might or might not have noticed, but both of them are not average ninja. Naruto has a drive that I have barely ever seen, and the stamina to match. Hinata feels like she needs to prove herself, if for no other reason than to keep up. When you take them together, standard training methods really don't compare. Therefore, Tsunade-sama decided to push them to their limits, because she believes in their potential." The fact that a number of very dangerous ninja were currently trying to track and kill Naruto would probably not go over well.

Gulping, the younger girl looked away. "I didn't believe them at first. They're both my age, yet were able to beat Amachi in no time at all. I didn't want anyone else to get caught up in my troubles, so I hid away as much as possible. But they wouldn't let me go until I was safe. I honestly don't know if I could ever repay them." Noticing her look at Naruto's clone a few moments longer than before, Shizune held back a chuckle. While Hinata was nearly as important in the eventual rescue of Isaribi as the blonde, it was clear that he had begun to capture another heart. She did not want to damage the existing relationship with Hinata, but if played correctly, Isaribi's fledgling crush might become interesting.

Smiling at the potential drama about to erupt, Shizune patted her on the head. "Don't worry, Isaribi-chan. I'm sure that everything will work out one way or another. Now, while I don't want to push you too hard until we have a chance to properly understand what Amachi did, why don't I show you a few basic medical techniques? At the very least, it'll keep you occupied while Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan are busy with their training." Plus, if their treatments required medicine over a longer period of time, then learning to self-medicate would save the poor girl a lot of time and money. Besides, it was the least they could do.

Blushing, Isaribi was about to answer when Hana returned, her Naruto clone following with a dead deer. Seeing an excellent opportunity, Shizune reached for a knife. "Excellent catch you two. Now, while we wait for Hinata-chan to join us, why don't the two of you pay attention? This is an excellent opportunity to learn a bit of surgery. With so many muscles, it will give you a clear idea about where to concentrate when making a cut." Sure, she could have gone over the chakra scalpel, but only Hinata-chan really had the control to use that right now. A little practical anatomy would be just as effective, and not reveal any village secret techniques to the civilian.

Still, as the lesson began, Shizune could not help but smile at their rapt attention. It was sometimes difficult to put into words, but there was just a sense of fulfillment about teaching that she had not really understood before. Ever since undertaking this journey, the Kunoichi had realized that, despite her skills, a part of her always distained using medical techniques to kill or injure. Showing the next generation ways of healing instead, soothed a raw feeling that had festered within her soul for years. So as she began her lesson, with Hana occasionally interjecting, the brunette was content. Teaching the next generation was one duty she would never object to. After all, these children were the future of their lands.

* * *

It was late afternoon in Konoha when a small figure decided to make her escape. Shifting from side to side, the child nonetheless moved with speed and skill beyond her years. Using every ounce of ability at her disposal, the child jumped over the southernmost wall of her family's land before making a break for it. Without some fresh air, the child would go insane. While she knew that there were Jonin on site capable of sneaking up on her, the girl also knew that none would bother at the moment. After all, Hyuga Hanabi had become a much less important figure over the last several months.

When her father had first made the changes in policy within the Hyuga clan, she had not worried too much. According to clan law, she should have been sealed years ago, so a new clause was not enough to really catch her attention. She was still a daughter of the Main House and its head. She was also stronger than nearly seventy percent of the clan children, be they Main or Branch House. Even her elder sister had failed to ever claim victory in a spar with a fellow Hyuga. Hanabi knew that with the loss of Neji, her main competition in terms of skill, the position that was rightfully hers was there for the taking.

What the child had not anticipated was the new attitude of the Branch House members, once their seals had been removed. People who had always been respectful of her requests now looked down upon her like dirt. Every spar that she attempted resulted in both a quick and brutal defeat. Each loss left her weaker and more damaged than the last. As it stood, even those still under the power of the Caged Bird Seal were growing more belligerent. Hanabi was losing face and position faster than she could have believed, and it scared her like nothing else in her short life.

Her father was of no help whatsoever. He simply spent his days locked up in meetings with the clan elders, occasionally leaving to officiate over some squabble. Instead of trying to help her grow stronger, Hanabi was shocked to be discarded without mercy. Her own father had turned to Neji to take the reins, and the boy had refused point blank. The greatest prodigy of the Jyuken in generations had refused his birthright, while the last and loyal daughter of the clan head was left in the cold. The little Hyuga had never felt so betrayed, either by the father that no longer cared about her or the cousin that spat upon his destiny. In all honesty, Neji was probably the only Hyuga she would have accepted losing to at this point.

All that was left for her was training, but that continued to deteriorate as well. Without any major support, she was forced to rely upon training in forms and against immobile dummies. None of her existing family was interested in anything less than beating her into the ground, and she had to attempt to improve simply from observation as opposed to instruction. Even in those rare moments where her father could be bothered to help her, nothing fruitful seemed to come of it. His once rare praise was replaced with the occasional grunt, and more often than not he would leave her sprawled on the training ground floor without a single word of explanation. She had not seen such treatment since her elder sister, and finding herself in the same position was a rude wakeup call.

That was enough to force her from the compound for the day. As an unmarked female of the Main House, Hanabi should not have left the walls of the Hyuga Clan without a minimum Chunin escort. However, none of the available ninja would be interested in the left over Hyuga Heir. While her eyes were strong for her age, Hanabi was nowhere near deaf enough to miss the whispers spreading around the house. Her days as an important upcoming prodigy seemed to be over, and all she wanted to do was sulk out of the sight of her so called family.

Coming across a deserted park near the Academy, Hanabi sought out the tree farthest from the entrance to hide behind. Activating her Byakugan to maximum, the child was thrilled to see that no one seemed interested in her location at the moment, so now was the perfect time to release her stress. Taking a deep breath, Hanabi allowed her mask to crack for the first time in weeks. First one tear, then another escaped before the young Hyuga was balling her eyes out, as silently as possible. She could only allow herself a moment of weakness like this occasionally, but when it happened, there was nothing to do but lose control. Weeks of struggle and isolation had taken their toll, but she would be damned if someone saw her like this. No matter what, she was Hyuga Hanabi, daughter to Hyuga Hiashi the head of the strongest clan in Konoha! She would cry a little, clean herself up and return to the compound ready to face her life again tomorrow. There was no way she would run away like Hinata and Neji did!

However, despite her vow, Hanabi was surprised by the raw amount of pain she had stored over the course of her new existence. Allowing it to wash over her, the young Hyuga was lost in her grief for nearly two hours. It was only by the end of her crying jag that she realized her solitude was over. Looking up, Hanabi was shocked to meet the gaze of her blood cousin Neji. In time since his departure, the prodigy had lost nearly a foot of hair and switched from his standard gear to some sort of grey robe. But the eyes, so familiar and yet so changed grasped her imagination. Neji did not look at her with loathing or disappointment, but something akin to shock. Ignoring his teammate, the child allowed her instincts to take over and grabbed her cousin in a massive hug. He might not be a Hyuga anymore, but no one else could understand her pain right now. It might not be that dignified, but she would be damned before ignoring a decent source of comfort.

* * *

Getting back up, Naruto prepared to form the hand signs once again. He had been attempting to learn the technique for nearly two hours now, and was honestly getting frustrated. Oh it looked easy on paper, but actually forming a ball of darkness was surprisingly difficult. It seemed that the very air vibrated with energy at times, and obscuring it all was extremely stressful. The closest analogy he could come up with was trying to grasp a hundred squirming worms while burying them underground. Each time he would try to move the dirt into place, a few worms would slime their way to freedom. Trying to recapture the escaping threads would only allow others to get free while he was distracted. All in all, it was enormously taxing for the young Chunin. Unfortunately, that was not even the most troublesome part of the training.

Feeling a slight surge in the back of his head, the blonde attempted to drop to his knees but was too slow. A pebble, maybe an inch long, flew through the air and clocked him on the head. Completely losing control of the technique, he sighed before trying to get back into position. Tsunade had decided not to do anything half-assed, and had him attempt to learn the Infinite Darkness technique while initiating a battle situation. She would track him from the edges of the clearing before flaring her chakra slightly, simulating the use of a Ninjutsu. Of course, instead of launching a fireball or waterspout, she would instead fling rubble at his unprotected back and sides. He had to track her usage of chakra, dodge attacks, and maintain the technique simultaneously. The Hokage refused to allow him to use Shadow Clones to refine the technique until he could dodge three consecutive strikes. As it stood, he had failed to avoid a single strike so far!

Oh, Baa-chan could go on and on about how the technique was useless without the ability to sense attacks in the darkness, but he knew this was just another form of punishment for the conflict in Sea Country. How was he supposed to master the technique, holding the technique while moving and sensing attacks all at the same time? He had heard about learning under pressure, but this was just plain nuts! Still, it would be a cold day in hell before he allowed a simple jutsu to take him down!

Gathering the same focus that allowed him to re-master the Rasengan, Naruto flew through the familiar hand signs in seconds. For one, perfect moment in time the dome of darkness that marked the technique formed without issue. Then, the blonde felt another surge from right in front of his position. Holding the final hand sign, he jumped, causing the dome to bulge, but not break. Hearing the pebble whiz under his feet, he almost sighed in relief. He was finally beginning to get this technique! The moment of triumph was lost as a second, larger stone flashed through the air, hitting him square on the solar plexus.

Seeing stars, the blonde Chunin could not find the energy to move. Finding himself prone and staring up into the darkening sky, he reviewed that moment of perfect clarity when the technique had worked, only to be brought up short. It was almost like the focus and concentration needed also had to encompass his surroundings, not just a single point on his palm. For someone to harness Infinite Darkness, their awareness and concentration had to be superhuman! Shuddering at the thought, Naruto swore to himself that he would master this technique in battle. Baa-chan might be wining now, but he would be damned if he failed to learn something that would protect his precious people from Uchiha Itachi. Against a foe like that, he would need every advantage he could get!

While his mind had been trained up in terms of raw knowledge and the application of said knowledge, Naruto still had trouble applying these new skills during an actual confrontation. However, after spending two hours trying to multitask with practically no rest, he was quick to use the moment of respite to review and reflect on the course of his training and how he could improve it. So when he stood to his feet, the blonde was more than ready to knock Baa-chan down a couple of pegs. He had a pretty good idea of what had been going wrong so far, but now it was a completely different game!

Of course, that was the moment that his stomach began to growl and his clones began to disperse. Feeling a jumble of new emotions and information infusing his skull, he almost missed Tsunade-baa-chan sneak up from behind him. Of course, by the time he noticed it was too late. Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, the older blonde smirked. "Why don't we call it quits for the day? I wouldn't want an old woman to wear you out so easily." Blushing at the teasing tone, Naruto looked away quickly. He would show her tomorrow, right now Shizune-nee-chan had cooked and he was starving. After a full stomach and a good night's sleep, the Infinite Darkness Technique would be a piece of cake!

* * *

Handing the little girl an ice cream, Neji decided to wait for her to speak. It had shocked the former Hyuga to the core to find Hinata's sister in public without an escort crying her eyes out. Hanabi had always taken the lessons of clan propriety to the extremes, and he had never heard of her showing emotion at all. In fact, he had been present several times when she had beaten Hinata into the ground without a change in expression. Seeing Hiashi's favorite daughter brought so low was almost as disturbing as his initial defeat at the hands of Uzumaki himself.

Still, while he was no longer acknowledged as a family member, Neji felt obligated to find out what had happened to his cousin. He almost asked Tenten for help, but knew that Hanabi was too proud to open up to anyone outside the clan itself. He might have left the clan, but only a Hyuga could properly understand what was going through another Hyuga's mind. Therefore he had sent his roommate home to start dinner while he helped the younger child. At the very least he could ensure that no one started trouble while she was alone without any protection.

Hanabi was not quick to open up, but once she started there was no going back. Neji was treated to a blow by blow of the current clan politics, and was saddened to hear that his theories about the future of the clan with these new policies were coming true. The Hyuga were more divided than they had been in years, and the elders simply stood on the sidelines waiting for someone to come forward and win the power struggle. It was just another reason that he was thankful to leave that mess behind, and could only hope that Hinata would have similar options upon her return to Konoha. As much as it confused him at times, the shy girl was in fact the closest blood relation she had left, and was not even in the country right now.

On the other hand, while not exactly pleased with her treatment, he could understand why Hanabi was being targeted to such a degree. Unlike Hinata, she had never had any problem with her position as a member of the Main House. While he had never heard of the girl using the Caged Bird Seal on anyone, no one wanted to be on her bad side when she decided to indulge. Thinking back on easier days, Neji sat down, ignoring her sudden start. "Hanabi, what you have to remember is that all the members of the Branch House have always been people before they were Hyuga. While few respected Hinata because of her gentle nature, no one feared her lashing out in anger or pride. However, you have spent the last several years doing everything you could to establish your position with the clan. Now that some of the seals have been removed, any anger or frustration about the situation has a new outlet. It's not right, but you cannot honestly state it's completely unexpected."

Frowning, Hanabi glared down into her ice cream cone. "I just don't see why Hinata was given so much leeway. Everyone thought she was weak, but no one even talks about her now. They just assume she won't become the new clan head, but they don't seem angry about her like they do about me. Why does everyone seem to like her, even when they acknowledge her weakness? I've always been taught that the Hyuga value strength above all else, so why do they all seem to forgive her for such weakness? It's not fair!"

Sighing, Neji put a hand through his hair, ignoring its shortness for the moment. "Hanabi, you are more wrong than you know. I hated Hinata for her weakness for years, lashing out at every opportunity. It seemed like such a colossal joke for my father to be lost just so such a pathetic creature could be saved for her position within the clan." Sighing, he looked off into the distance. "But I was wrong. Hinata has a different sort of strength; the ability to do what she believes is right, no matter what the consequence. I had my eyes opened rather forcefully, and hope that once she returns that we can rebuild our relationship in some small way."

Shrugging, the prodigy shook his head. "But besides me, why would the Branch House members lash out at Hinata? She never threatened anyone with the Caged Bird Seal, tried her best to be pleasant and helpful, and cared for everyone. Her infatuation with Uzumaki was a little annoying at times, but there was no reason for them to hate her just because of her status as a daughter of the Main House. In fact, most of the clan simply assumed that she would be put into the Branch House and didn't want to cause any trouble that would make the transition more difficult. In all frankness Hanabi, it's your complete difference of attitude from Hinata that is probably causing these problems. Those that seek power in the Hyuga see you as a threat, and have no reason to hold back."

As his speech continued, Neji could see his cousin shrinking before his eyes. Hanabi had always been strong and skilled, but a good portion of her courage came from her potential to be the next heir of the Hyuga clan. Being the best in her generation and her father's favorite had defined the younger Hyuga like nothing else. Now, without her safety nets, Hanabi was left adrift without any idea as to her potential future. Seeing this, he could only hope to help her out as best as he could. After all, he lacked Naruto's way with people.

Putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, the young ninja tried to think of what Uzumaki would have said but came up short. Finally, he simply decided to be as honest as he dared. "While you are still young, Hanabi, you have not been the nicest person. Attempting to be nice now will only make others think that you are trying to suck up to your tormentors and will be seen as a sign of weakness. Instead, keep your head held high and train as hard as you can to move forward." Finding himself smiling as the younger girl moved into his partial embrace, Neji wondered if he would ever have a chance to talk with his other cousin like this. He still owed the girl more than he could ever repay, and a few frank discussions would make things go much smoother between them. "Still, it's not too late to improve yourself. Try just talking with your family, and learn about them as people. If things improve, the Hyuga will probably still be your responsibility one day, so do your best to work for their benefit, not yourself."

Checking the position of the sun, Neji knew that he did not have much time before dinner. Still, it would be downright rude to leave without one more bit of advice. "Remember my words, Hanabi, and if things ever get to difficult for you, feel free to track me down once again. After all, if there is one thing I've learned, it's you can never have too much support. Now head back before you're missed and stay safe." Noting the determined nod out of the corner of his eye, the ninja headed for home, drained yet satisfied with how the conversation had gone. He could only hope that Tenten had dinner ready, because after that, he was downright ravenous.

* * *

Calmly walking through the ruins of the fallen Sea Country Base, Kabuto sighed in annoyance. When Orochimaru-sama had received word that Tsunade had been in the area, he had dispatched his right hand man to ensure victory. With Tsunade isolated with several choice hostages, this was an ideal time to acquire some resources for Oto. Unfortunately, that idiot Amachi had jumped the gun and gotten himself killed. Now that bitch of a Hokage was gone, along with all the work that the scientist had developed for years. While the Snake Sannin was no longer interested in this field of research due to the limitations involved, it was a shame to have a lifetime of work lost to enemy forces. Now he was stuck cataloging the base to discover the number of losses they had incurred from the attack.

Looking over yet another room filled with smashed test tubes and shredded papers, the gray haired medic allowed his senses to permeate the room. While it looked like the people who had cleared the base out had done quite an impressive job, he was not considered the primary confidant of Orochimaru for nothing. Years of secret experiments and careful medical development had allowed him and his master to extend their senses beyond those of an ordinary human. While his sense of smell would probably never match an Inuzuka, the treatments he had both created and undergone allowed his very charka to taste and understand the traces of each and every room. A process that would have taken a team of medics and trackers hours only required a matter of moments for the genius traitor.

So far, after about an hour on the island, Kabuto had made several determinations. Firstly, the three Fuuma ninja were dead from some rather precise strikes. Whoever had killed them had hit vital organs, and had done their best to hide the traces. However, he could determine from both the oxygen levels in the blood and the chemical composition that each trace came from hits centered on vital organs. Without the aid of a very skilled medic, none of them would have survived such attacks.

While nothing could be completely ruled out with Tsunade in the area, his second conclusion was the Fuuma were taken by a third party. Everything from the chakra traces to the number of people involved screamed Hunter Ninja. While he doubted that Konoha would send such a paltry force after an acknowledged Sannin and Hokage level ninja, it would not surprise him if one of the other villages had assumed the Slug Queen would be vulnerable at this point. All in all, it pointed to a perpetrator with insufficient information and no personal agenda besides the obvious. Coupled with the amount of unknown Suiton chakra that still infused the coastline, and he would bet his glasses that Kiri had launched a confrontation of some sort.

Still, that was the extent of what he could determine from the area. There were no traces left of the results of such a meeting, so either the entire confrontation occurred on the surface of the ocean, or both groups were more clever than he had thought. Of course, given the skills and stamina of those involved, it would not surprise him to know the entire group from Konoha could fight on water for hours without getting tired. He could as well, but that was simply raw experience coupled with some special tweaks to his biology. Still, he would have to keep his ears to the ground about any movements between Konoha and Kiri in the near future.

Coming to the last door of the corridor, the Oto ninja paused. Something was different here, but he could not place his finger on it. Entering the area, Kabuto narrowed his eyes at the state of the equipment. Once again, the familiar scents of cheep chemicals and dog overwhelmed him. Apparently, Tsunade had picked up an Inuzuka companion who thought having his or her partners urinate over research was the best method for corrupting scientific results. Still, there was something new in this room that simply refused to be ignored. Turning towards a counter, he finally found what he was looking for, even as his blood ran cold.

It was nothing too impressive on the face of it. Amachi had created a crude refrigerator out of a hollow in the wall using some seal work and mechanical knowhow. Most of the samples had been taken or simply destroyed, but under a single bracket of smashed test tubes was the familiar smell. Running a quick medical jutsu to confirm his thoughts, Kabuto gnashed his teeth in a rare expression of rage. That fool Amachi had gone too far. If Tsunade and company had not killed him, Kabuto would have done so gleefully for hours over such arrogance! Thanks to that weakling, one of Oto's primary biological weapons was now in the hands of the enemy!

Turning swiftly, Kabuto suppressed a sigh of annoyance. Now that the base was public knowledge, he had no choice but to destroy it. While this had become a place where Orochimaru-sama threw away the weaklings that infested the ranks of Oto, the base was still a reasonably important investment. Both its isolation and proximity to key sea routes made it ideal for some of the milder projects that Oro had in the works. But without the secrecy that had protected it for years, the base was simply a loose end to tie up. After planting a few exploding tags and confirming the destruction of the remains, Kabuto would return to his master at once. Things concerning Konoha had just gone from difficult to dangerous, and they would have to develop new plans as quickly as possible.

* * *

Rushing through the trees, Nii Yugito kept every physical and spiritual sense at maximum range. Given what she had learned while in the borders of Sea Country, there was no way she was going to let herself be captured unawares. Thanks to the regenerative abilities of the Two Tailed Cat and her own training as a chakra sensor, there was nearly a bubble of space five miles in diameter that a squirrel could not move through without her knowledge. Thus, she felt her teammates far before she saw them. While a normal ninja might have had trouble locating the three, she was one of the strongest in Kumo for a reason. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to tarry much longer.

Landing at the meeting point, she ignored the simple beauty of the scene. All three ninja were hiding in trees near a small stream. The shade of the leaves helped to hide their bodies while the trickling water covered any sounds of their movement. Meeting their eyes, the Jonin flared her unique chakra for identification and kept it brief. "We must leave at once. Gather your supplies and follow me." Allowing them the minimum three minutes outlined within Kumo standards to gather materials, Yugito wasted no time leading them directly towards the border.

The Jinchuuriki had spent years developing a reputation for seriousness and focus, so she knew her comrades would not waste time bothering her with pointless questions. Still, she ignored the numerous signals to explain, focusing her senses once again to ensure their safety. Things were a little too cramped in this country, and she wanted to make tracks before getting the wrong sort of attention. It was a hard three hours of travel at maximum velocity before the border came into sight. Still, she took no chances, only halting after another mile had been covered. Only then would Yugito allow both herself and her teammates to rest.

Of course, after running like scared Genin, she was more than prepared for an outburst or two. Glaring at her, Karui ran her right hand through her red hair, irritation stamped on every gesture. "What the hell, Yugito? Did you steal too much fish in the market or something? There couldn't have been anything that scary in a dinky little country like that!" Bristling at the tone, and the reminder of a little incident in the marketplace when she was still a Genin and skipping meals, Yugito was about to snap back before Samui stepped forward.

"I admit some curiosity as well, Yugito. We traced battle damage that matched our discoveries in the Land of Vegetables here, and the latest traces are at best a day old. What could have made our targets vacate so quickly?" Taking a deep breath, Yugito reminded herself that everyone had grown frustrated with their lack of progress. Sea Country had been their best lead in nearly a month, and everyone was more than ready to make contact with the blonde Hokage. Just because Karui and Omoi could be a little annoying, there was no reason to lose her cool.

Gathering her thoughts, the blonde sighed. "I apologize for the abruptness of our departure, but things are much more serious in Sea Country than the Land Of Vegetables." Seeing that she had their undivided attention, the Jonin continued her report. "The entire militia is in a state of uproar. Apparently, Orochimaru has been operating a secret base off the coast for the last several years, using local superstition to kidnap civilians for experiments by his people. Someone just clued in the authorities because anyone with a headband is now wanted for immediate questioning as to their business within Sea Country." Left unsaid was the fact that she had escaped without any such review. A militia was enough to handle bandits or the occasional rouge Yakuza, but Jonin level ninja were much more than they could deal with.

Rolling his candy around absently, Omoi narrowed his eyes. "This sounds pretty weird. If Tsunade is really treating some big and important VIP, why the heck would she come here? Everyone knows that she and Jiraiya hate Orochimaru with a passion. What sort of healer takes their patient into a country with a bunch of unexplained disappearances?"

Smirking at the rare show of intelligence from the swordsman, Yugito shook her head. "Honestly, I doubt Tsunade would know. From the Intel I managed to gather from the local rumor mills, the number lost was small enough to be blamed on the occasional squall, and any additional cases were simply thought to be the result of local superstition. No one reported it to the Ninja Villages, and everyone ignored it most of the time." Frowning, the Jonin felt a surge of anger at the next bit of information. "In fact, the most proactive thing the people of the country seemed to do was lash out at a local pariah who managed to return from being captured." The stories she had persuaded the villagers to relate had painted a rather nasty picture, and it brought up too many bad memories.

Rubbing her shoulder, Samui interjected. "Well now leaving makes sense. If the entire country thinks that foreign ninja have attacked the populace, a group of Kumo ninja in the middle of nowhere would look highly suspicious. Still, were you able to gather any further information about this pariah? If she was actually a former experiment of Orochimaru's, she might be another useful source of Intel." After all, most of the modern ninja techniques had come from one atrocity or another. If someone had already broken the bonds of humanity, who were they to ignore the results?

Nodding, Yugito retrieved a sealing scroll from her pouch. "I examined her place of residence and found some bandages coated in odd chemicals. There are skin samples that our scientists should be able to examine properly with a little time." Frowning, the Jonin narrowed her eyes. "Unfortunately, by the time I managed to the island the base had been hidden on, someone had already destroyed it with high level explosive tags. I couldn't even find a stable entrance into the ruins, so any data that might have been left is completely lost." Well, there were a couple of underwater entrances that might be secure, but no way in hell was she going underwater.

"Another issue is the traces of a large hunting party. Its a few hours old, but the stink of Suiton Users is all over the island. It appears that Kiri has sent their own search party, and indications are that they made contact with Tsunade's group." As expected, that little bombshell froze everyone in place. The idea of failing their mission just because Kiri got there first was mortifying. "Luckily, I don't believe that Tsunade's group was taken prisoner, because I was able to trace them and someone who appears to be Sea Country's scapegoat heading inland towards the Land of Fire. However, we have no idea if they have managed to come to some sort of agreement all their own."

Leaning back into a nearby tree, Samui's frown deepened. "This is beginning to get more complicated than we are ready for. If Tsunade is already within the Land of Fire, she could be attempting to rejoin Konoha for safety after encountering Kiri's forces. On the other hand, it could simply be a ploy to rest and regroup before moving on. Either way, a misstep could be disastrous."

Nodding, she stood up, face back to its normal cool indifference. "Yugito, I want you to lead Omoi and Karui to the Land of Fire's boarders around where Tsunade's group entered. I am going to meet with the Raikage for further orders, and will join you there as soon as I have made my report. I will try to get Jay to send you orders before hand, but we cannot rely on that. Above all else, do not engage Tsunade while she is in the Land of Fire. That could start an incident that makes the Hyuga issue look like a walk in the park. Now let's move out." Nodding their acceptance, the others leapt back into the trees, minds already hot on the trail of the blonde Sannin.

* * *

Authors Notes

Well, it's been a while hasn t it?

Now, I know that many of you have probably been wondering what has been taking me so long to release the latest chapter. I've worked very hard to produce at least two a month and I m honestly a little embarrassed by the delay. However, I ran into a couple of small roadblocks. -_-;;;

Firstly, I have been writing, but branching out a little bit. I have three or four more outlines ready for Different Techniques, one which I have sent out for beta reading. I also have been toying with the sequel to Shifting Connections, but wanted to wait for a little more information from the Manga. For those of you who like to cross genres, I am also toying with a Harry Potter AU on the side. In all frankness, these projects are a lot more entertaining to me than coming up with new and exciting methods of training. Still, it was a necessary evil to ensure further progress, and I hope to start moving forward more effectively now.

Secondly, well, I got a little distracted. You see, I like to write while listening to music, especially the fight scenes. Over the years, a band called Apocalyptica has provided inspiration for many a battle. (For those of you who are curious, youtube their music videos. Path Vol 2 is one of my personal favorites.) There is just something so dramatic about rock played on cellos. Anyways they played their first concert in town after years of limiting their travel to Europe, so I had to go. Of course, between getting my tickets, arranging the time off at work and losing my hearing for a couple of days, my creative energy took a tiny hit. Still, it was so worth it.

Anyways, I thank each and every one of you for your patience and hope that this extra long chapter makes up for the wait. :)

Again I, as always, greatly appreciated all the reviews that people sent me about the last chapter. The only major point I would like to address is the Mizukage as a villain. That's not exactly what I went for here. Instead, I needed a battle hardened ninja, fresh in the position but scrambling to stabilize her village by any means necessary. Mei's no saint, but no Kage level ninja can really afford to be. Well, besides Naruto in cannon, but we'll see how that develops. Time and experience will soften her, but we have other fish to fry at the moment. Don't worry, this is not the last time that Kiri will come up, but let's give them some time to stew in their current frustrations.

Now on to the next chapter! The bonds teammates and comrades share can sometimes defy logic. That doesn t mean that everyone stays on the same wavelength. Stay Tuned!


	35. Idle Youth

No I don't own Naruto. Besides, I'm more of a cat person anyways.

Chapter Thirty Two: Idle Youth

Walking down the street, Sakura found herself surprisingly bored. After a few initial hiccups, the young Kunoichi had gotten used to her hectic schedule of training and missions around the village. Lately, she was lucky to meet with Ino for lunch or catch a sale on the weekends. Now, most of her days were filled with Kiba, Shino, Yakumo, and Kurenai-sensei, and the young Kunoichi would not have it any other way. While she sometimes missed the chance to relax, no one could argue with the results. For the first time since the Chunin Exam, Sakura actually felt worthy of her current rank and standing. So when she found herself suddenly alone for the day, the pink haired girl had no idea what to do.

During their team meeting that morning, Kurenai-sensei had informed her students that there was a lack of appropriately ranked missions available. Coupled with the heavy work schedule they had been using recently and the Jonin had decided that they needed the day off. Sakura had asked Yakumo if she wanted to spend some time together, but the young heiress had to beg off. Now that she was on the mend, the Head of the Kurama clan was expected to review several documents concerning the inner workings of the clan and its current alliances within Konoha. In addition, she had to make sure that her uncle had not done anything wrong while acting as regent. Kurenai-sensei, acting as Yakumo's de facto guardian, was allowed to help, but anyone else would have been deemed as inappropriate. Thinking about some of the clan practices and politics she had seen since becoming a Genin, Sakura accepted her apology and wished the girl good luck. From what she had seen, the young clan head was going to need it.

Kiba had invited her and Shino over to his place to hang out, but Sakura had turned him down. While her two teammates had grown closer over the last few months, Sakura still felt oddly tense around them at times. Besides, there was no way she wanted to see Kiba's mother anytime soon. While the young Inuzuka had said things were more stable with his sister out of the village, Sakura's last direct confrontation with the matriarch had brought up too many bad memories. Although Sakura was sure she could deal with Tsume if need be, the young Kunoichi did not see the point. Besides, every time they had gone over to the Inuzuka compound the clan dogs tended to mob her. It was fun once and a while, but she was not in the mood today.

In all honesty, Sakura just wanted to hang out and feel like a kid again. All the extra work she had been putting into her training and around the village was stressful, and as much as she hated to admit it she was getting a little burned out. While Kiba had his moments, without Naruto around to lighten the mood, things seemed to keep overloading her lately. However, with most of her civilian friends out of touch because of schedule conflicts and her Kunoichi friends busy with missions, training or paperwork, the young girl found herself out of options. Heck, she would have loved to gossip with Ino for a few hours, but the blonde was having some special training with Anko-sensei today. Realizing just how small her social network had become, Sakura felt a little cold.

Thinking about her options, Tsunade-sama's offer came back to mind. There was no doubt in her mind that Naruto would return. After all, he would ever give up on his dream. So when the Hokage returned, she would have the option to become a medic under one of her apprentices. While Kurenai-sensei's lessons on Genjutsu were a lot of fun, the idea of somehow matching up to one of the Sannin someday was rather exciting. After all, with her relatively low chakra levels, this was a path that would properly allow her to shine. Besides, with Yakumo around, she would have to find a new niche to demonstrate her own personal growth. Shaking off her funk, Sakura decided to hit the Library. A little preparation in the basics would make things go much smoother when the time came.

Smiling now at the new challenge ahead of her, Sakura started moving with purpose only to stop at a familiar greeting. Turning, she saw Rock Lee in his standard jumpsuit running from the main gate. Returning his smile with her own and a wave, Sakura felt herself relax. While they had both become very busy with the rebuilding of Konoha, she and Lee had managed to meet a few times to chat about their respective training and his rehabilitation. Remembering his heroism in the Forest of Death, the Kunoichi always did her best to be nice to the energetic Genin. The fact that he reminded her of Naruto's energy was a nice bonus on some of her harder days. "Lee-kun! I haven't seen you in weeks! Did you just get back from a mission?"

Much to her surprise, the mention of a mission made the Taijutsu specialist's smile dim significantly. Slowing down to a walk, Lee answered in a normal tone of voice, meaning he was practically whispering. "Yes Sakura-chan, my team has just finished with a most difficult mission outside the village. It was just rather complicated." Seeing his smile, Sakura was reminded of Naruto on an off day. Biting her lip, she suddenly felt bad for no reason she could understand. All the Kunoichi knew was that she needed to cheer him up a bit.

Gathering her composure, the pink haired girl said the first thing that came to mind. "Say Lee-kun, why don't you go get cleaned up and meet me at Ichiraku's in about an hour? We can grab a late lunch and you can tell me all about your mission, ok?" Seeing his eyes light up, Sakura almost winced at the expression. Naruto had made the same face every time he had thought she was asking for a date. But something deep within her refused to dissuade the boy about his assumptions.

Flashing a much brighter smile, Lee made his infamous nice-guy pose. "Yosh, Sakura-chan! If I am not ready to meet you within the hour, I will climb the Hokage Mountain with three times my normal weights while jumping rope! That is a promise!" Before she could calm him down, the boy had run off, only a dust cloud in his wake.

Shaking her head in amusement, Sakura decided to run home herself to freshen up a bit. Lee was a good guy, and a lot of fun in small doses. Spending the day with him could be just the thing she needed to get out of her funk. After all, Naruto had done the same thing more often than she cared to admit. Smiling ruefully at the additional reminder of her ex-teammate, Sakura decided to dress up a little. It was not like this was a date or anything, but Lee deserved a little cheering up after all he had done for her, did he not? Besides, had she not been mentally complaining how she never got to be a normal girl anymore? What better chance than just hanging out with a normal guy friend and talking. Smiling, she chuckled, wondering if Hinata had managed to confess her crush to Naruto yet. She was probably still fainting whenever the blonde smiled at her.

* * *

Sneezing, Naruto dodged quickly to avoid detection from the lapse in control. He had managed to master the Infinite Darkness Technique to the point of dodging six strikes the previous day. For three days of training, he thought it was rather impressive, and could almost feel his head swell with pride at the accomplishment. Of course, that was when Baa-chan had decided to bring him back to earth. Stating that, since he seemed to be able to dodge at the Chunin level she had been using, it was time to increase the difficulty of the training. So now he and nine other Shadow Clones had to dodge simultaneously while attempting to tag the Sannin. Predictably, so far it was not going so well.

The new training required him to meet three separate goals. Firstly, he had to track Tsunade without the use of his eyes, relying on his developing chakra sensing abilities. Next, he had to ensure that he concentrated only on her chakra, and avoided nailing one of his own clones. Finally, he had to coordinate his movements using his relative position along with his clones while maintaining the technique. Although the multitasking was getting easier with practice, Tsunade's raw experience meant that he was losing at least one clone every five minutes. Despite his superior stamina and work ethic, the raw difference in their abilities was slowly being nailed into his skull. But no matter how seriously he took the exercise, his fellow blonde always seemed to be one step ahead of him.

What made the entire situation seem even more drawn out was the Sannin insisting that he disperse every clone and initiate his attack from the beginning each time one clone was lost or the technique faltered. The strain of so many repeated dispersals in such close proximity made it seem like he had been attacking for nearly a day as opposed to a couple of hours. He had to admit that each attempt was better than the last one, but he was getting tired of the constant defeat. Taking a short breath after yet another clone was lost, Naruto began using his head. He needed an edge, but only one trick came to mind.

Over the last couple of days, Hana had been drilling tracking and general Hunter Ninja techniques into his skull. Although his clone had yet to kill anything on their foraging trips yet, Naruto had begun to properly apply the sensory enhancements to locate prey. While he had to assume that Tsunade probably already knew them or equivalents from medical training, in the end there were ten of him to one of her. While he had not been told using the tracking techniques were allowed, he had not been told they were forbidden either. Seeing her impatient look, the Chunin decided to attempt his new idea. Forming another nine clones, he launched the jutsu once again. Now was it was time to see if his new strategy was enough to score a hit.

Opening his chakra senses, Naruto also sent chakra to his nose and ears to increase their effectiveness. While the jutsu faltered for a second with his split attention, it only took a moment to stabilize the effect. Concentrating on Tsunade, the blonde was shocked by how easy it was to locate her now. Before, the blonde Hokage had only flared her chakra occasionally to simulate a jutsu or flare common with less skilled ninja. Now, with both his chakra and physical senses concentrated on her movements, it was almost like the Infinite Darkness Jutsu was not active at all. Allowing himself a unseen smirk, the prankster decided that now was the perfect time to show Baa-chan just how far he had come!

Grabbing one of his few remaining kunai, he launched an attack on the Kunoichi while allowing his chakra to flare. As expected, Tsunade suppressed her chakra while jumping into the air to dodge the strike. However, now that both he and his clones could track the Sannin by scent, cloned weapons were already in the air for a follow-up attack. While he sensed the change in position, nothing could halt the sound of loudly tearing cloth. Dropping the Infinite Darkness, Naruto allowed himself a satisfied smirk. It looked like the Number One unpredictable Ninja had struck again!

Tsunade was standing in the center of the clearing, an eyebrow twitching. The reason for her ire was plain to see, as the famous green jacket that marked the blonde as the Legendary Sucker had a long gash across its back. While not a solid hit, both knew that it counted as far as the exercise was concerned. The Chunin fought to hide his smile, knowing it would only lead to pain, but he really could not help it. Once again, he had been underestimated, and once again he had come out as victorious. At this rate, he would finally move on to learn another Jutsu and become even more awesome!

Of course, given that his Sensei was Tsunade of the Sannin, there was no way it could be that easy. Giving him a tight grin, the blonde cracked her knuckles. "That was very impressive, Naruto. It appears that you are ready for the next step." Throwing off the ruined coat, the older ninja began to crack her joints. "Since you can now hit a moving target, let's see how long you can last against someone fighting back with their full abilities?" Seeing the fire ignite in her eyes, the Naruto swallowed reflexively. Somehow, he just knew that this was going to hurt like hell. Seeing her hands begin to glow, the Chunin began to wonder if he should have written up a will or something. Then, there was only running, jutsu and pain.

* * *

Kiba smirked at his teammate as they started walking out of the Inuzuka Compound. Akamaru had enjoyed running with the other clan dogs, but both Kiba and Shino decided that it might be a good idea to relocate. With Hana away on some secret mission and his mother preoccupied with running the clan and taking on some extra missions of her own, the Compound had been rather lonely, only containing a couple of cousins that Kiba did not get along with. Plus, while both boys were rather decent at tracking and hunting in the wild neither were much of a cook. Kurenai-sensei, Hinata and later Yakumo had insisted taking on the responsibility after allowing them to prepare rations a couple of times. The Inuzuka tended to set meat on fire and Shino simply mashed most things into a paste for his insects. In fact, the only acknowledged cook worse than the two male team members was Sakura, and that was not a memory either wanted to relive at the moment.

Still, the dog ninja was still mentally laughing at his teammate as they started down the street. "I cannot believe that you think that we should stick to these lower level missions. I mean, now that she's been trained properly, Sakura can launch a tree nearly twenty meters when pissed. Not to mention that Yakumo has that nasty trick of making enemies feel like they're on fire. Sure, we might have to take a few extra breaks, but neither of them are really weak anymore. Of course, I dare you to tell them that to their faces." Sure he still missed Hinata, but Kiba was willing to admit that the new members of Team Eight were worth their weight. He had worked hard enough to help them get there after all.

Pushing his sunglasses up, Shino replied in his normal monotone, the one that Kiba knew he did just to be annoying. "While I agree both Yakumo and Sakura had come a long way, Kurenai-sensei is also correct in being cautious. Yakumo spent nearly two years with minimal conditioning while Sakura's stamina was still somewhat below average. Besides, you know Sakura's extreme physical abilities still rely upon some overly emotional response. Spending weeks on a border patrol is still probably more than either of the two can handle. Personally, I think we would be better off taking an escort mission or two. We would be able to take a civilian pace while ensuring the clients safety."

Snorting, Kiba growled from the back of his throat. "Aw, but I hate those missions. They're always so boring, and nothing ever happens. Remember the three we did before the Chunin Exam? We just walked next to a merchant or two while scanning the forest for enemies that never showed up! Hell none of the clients were even stupid enough to hit on Sensei! After spending months just hanging around the village, I'm dying for some real action." After all, that sinking feeling that he had been falling behind his comrades training refused to leave him alone. A couple of good scraps and he would finally get back to his normal confident self!

Shaking his head, Shino pinned him with a look. "Kiba, you are very lucky that Sensei is nowhere near here. If she thought that you wanted to have a perverted client just to watch her beat him up, she would have you blind fight an angry Sakura. Besides, don't assume there would be no problems this time. Hinata was very shy, but now we have two attractive and comparatively outgoing Kunoichi on the team. It would not surprise me if the next time we left the village the client will make a pass he really shouldn't."

Thinking about it, Kiba realized that his friend did have a point. Hinata was cute, but so introverted there was no way that she would ever get noticed by anyone except the worst sort of pervert. Yakumo and Sakura, on the other hand, were both fairly well developed and not particularly shy about their looks after training for so long. Each was toning into something rather impressive, and it would not be odd if they started getting noticed once they left the village. Although Sakura still had quite a ways to go before her charms appealed to most guys.

But before he could vocalize these thoughts, a familiar scent attracted his attention. Looking up, Kiba was shocked to see Sakura herself down the street, heading towards the Ichiraku Ramen Stand. He was about to call out when her appearance caught his attention. Instead of her normal ninja gear, the girl was wearing a rather nice green sundress that matched her eyes. Sniffing a little deeper, the Inuzuka realized that, instead of her normal shampoo and personal scent, Sakura had put on some sort of body wash that was actually quite nice. The only familiar thing was her headband, which was in its normal place on top of her head. Looking over his teammate with new eyes, Kiba realized that she cleaned up rather well.

Shaking his head to clear out the odd line of thought, Kiba was about to run and join her when he heard a familiar voice call out the Kunoichi's name. Seeing Rock Lee run up and greet his teammate, the Inuzuka felt an odd cramp in the pit of his stomach. Before he could realize what he was doing, the Genin had grabbed Shino and jumped towards the roof of a nearby store. Something told him that there was no way he wanted to miss a minute of this! Channeling chakra to his ears, Kiba settled in to watch his two comrades enter the stand with a laser focus that would have shocked most of the remaining Konoha Twelve. Familiar with his quirks, Shino settled down and sent his own allies to observe as well.

* * *

Accepting a steaming bowl of ramen, Sakura smiled before digging in. Ichiraku's had begun to feature a special Diet Ramen a couple of weeks back, but she found that with her increased metabolism they were not filling enough to meet the energy needs for Team Eight's physical training. Now, she simply ate a bowl of the healthier noodle soup to whet her appetite before digging into a couple of large bowls. There were days she thought they would have to roll her out of the stand, but then she would remember a certain blonde and feel a bit surer of her eating habits. Still, knowing how energetic Lee could get, she would probably be there for a while, so starting off light would only make the experience easier.

Looking down for a second, a part of the Kunoichi that sounded whinier than she would like to admit, questioned the change of clothes. After all, this was Rock Lee, the zany Genin who made crazy challenges while utilizing horrible fashion sense. The part of Sakura's mind that had grown from her newfound determination and effort to be a better person told that annoying screech to take a hike. For too long, others had tried to support her dreams and desires no matter how mean she tended to be. Lee had nearly been killed protecting her, after a single meeting and declaration of love she had snubbed. It was because of friends and comrades like him that she had come so far as a ninja. If dressing up a little cheered him back to his normal exuberance, than who was she to deny such help? Besides, she never got to wear her dresses anymore.

Wincing, she then remembered that most of the unused clothing had been earmarked for time with Sasuke. Back then, she would have killed anyone else who even dared to approach her for the honor of a date. In fact, looking back on it, she really hoped that Tsunade-sama had not needed to heal up brain damage from her efforts to reject Naruto throughout most of the Academy. Of course, by keeping away people like Naruto to remain popular, in the end she was left alone and miserable. So why not use the dress on a nice guy that would do his best to make her happy? Besides, once you got past the color scheme, Lee's jump suit really did not leave a lot to the imagination.

Blushing, Sakura tried to shake off the odd train of thought while taking a bite of her ramen. Suddenly the silence caused by both teenagers placing their orders seemed rather uncomfortable. Desperate for a topic, Sakura grasped the first idea that came to mind. "Lee-kun, didn't you say you would tell me what was bothering you? What happened on the mission that went so badly?" Hiding a wince with another bite of ramen, the pink haired girl could not believe her bluntness. She really should have been more considerate of the poor boys feelings.

Surprisingly enough, the question itself did not seem to bother her comrade much. "Forgive me, Sakura-chan. I did not mean to forget, but I was distracted by the wondrous meal put before us." Taking his own bite, Sakura was surprised by the impressive manners the boy was showing. Ramen was not the neatest of meals, yet Lee seemed to have no problem enjoying every bite while avoiding any spilled broth. After so many meals with Naruto and Kiba, it was a nice change of pace. "While our last mission was a success, I don't believe it went very well. It felt most un-youthful."

Clearing his throat with a delicate sip of broth, Lee frowned. "A few days ago, several miners came to the village desperate for help. They worked at the Katabami Gold Mine, and had recently been overrun by a group of mercenaries called the Kurosuki family. This group had brutally taken over the administration of the mine, and had been working the villagers to death using fear, intimidation and brute force. Their leader favored a particularly un-youthful method of making examples by burying people alive in a mockery of a funeral." Shivering, the Genin's eyes went distant for a moment. "It was very unpleasant Sakura-chan, and I am glad you did not see what they did there."

Feeling cold, the Kunoichi grabbed her bowl or ramen like a life preserver. She had seen some horrible things as a ninja, but the concept of burying someone underground and just leaving them there to die sounded particularly horrific. This was a moment she cursed her Genjutsu training. Kurenai-sensei had sharpened her imagination into a tool to use against her enemies, but at times it was a double edged sword. Even now she could almost taste the earth infused air and rotting wood, as desperation beat in her chest. Gulping, she absently took one of his hands to show her support. Seeing the answering smile, the young Kunoichi felt some of her imagined fears begin to fade.

Taking a deep breath, Lee continued. "While horrible, the Kurosuki family did not sound like anything more than a particularly vile group of mercenaries or gangsters. Thus the mission was given a C-ranking and Shikamaru was put in control of Team Gai for the duration. Although he lacks a frightful amount of youthful energy, I have to admit that Shikamaru made an excellent squad leader. If it was not for his skill and leadership ability, I have no doubt that we would have probably died." Eyes widening, Sakura looked at the older boy in alarm. For Lee to admit that death had been that close, things must have turned ugly. After all, it was not like Konoha had a perfect record for correctly ranking missions.

Beginning to pick up steam, the Taijutsu specialist began to relate the story with ever increasing vigor. "It all began when we made contact with a friend of mine in the area. Sanshou-baasan runs the Curry of Life Shop, an establishment that has been a favorite of mine ever since I discovered its existence while training. Since the shop was only about a mile from the Mine, I suggested that we stop in to gather some intelligence." Smiling as Lee became more animated as the tale continued, Sakura absently signaled for another bowl. Between the comforting atmosphere of Ichiraku's and Lee's infectious enthusiasm, the girl was almost shocked to find herself relaxing more than she had in months. It was almost like old times with Team Seven, except there was no one calling her useless under their breath. Yet, somehow, Sakura felt that she could live with that.

* * *

Hiding behind the edge of the shop opposite the Ramen Stand, Kiba concentrated chakra in his ears with barely a thought. Hearing Lee and Sakura talking so easily, left him feeling rather hollow for some reason. Ignoring the specific content of the conversation, the young Inuzuka instead listen to the inflections and tones of both comrades. While he was no expert, only a complete novice would miss the meaning of that sort of vocal pattern. As far as he could tell, Sakura and Lee trusted one another quite a bit more than two near strangers should be able to. So that meant that this was not the first time they had met in such a fashion, without his knowledge. For some reason, that made him want to punch the smiling eye brow freak into next week.

Kiba did not know why he felt like this. Sure, Sakura was his teammate now, but he had no right to tell her how to live or who to talk with. She was her own person, and if there was one thing that his mother, sister and Kurenai-sensei had beaten into his skull, it was the rights of a woman to choose her associates and actions. So there was no real reason to be effected at all by this little date. Yet, no matter how many times he told himself such things the young boy could not stop an impending sense of violence from gurgling.

"Kiba, why are we watching Sakura eating dinner with Rock Lee? If you wanted ramen, then wouldn't it be more effective to simply buy some instead of watching others eat?" Starting, Kiba turned to his friend, having forgottenthe Aburame's presence in his focus on the happy couple. Seeing the slight eye brow twitch Shino was now sporting, the Genin fought the urge to back up a step. For a normally stoic guy like Shino to show that much emotion, he must really be getting pissed. If he did not do something quick, he would have to look out for ticks on Akamaru for a month again!

Clearing his throat, the young Inuzuka tried to come up with a logical reason for his actions. Of course, the fact that his actions were not really justifiable in the first place did not help matters. Still, as his mother sometimes said, it was better to make a bunch of stupid decisions quickly than to make no decision and get nowhere. "Now Shino, buddy, I'm just trying to look out for Sakura's welfare. I mean, she's our teammate now and we have a responsibility to ensure her safety. After all, Lee's a pretty tough guy, so what could she do if he tried to act out or something?" Actually, come to think of it, that was not a bad bit of reasoning. Lee was older and stronger than their entire class, so a little caution was only good sense!

Unfortunately, Shino appeared to disagree. Pushing his sunglasses firmly back, the Aburame shot him one of those looks that said he was being an idiot without saying a thing. "This is the same Sakura who, when angered by perceptions of perversion, would knock her teammate around the village like a soccer ball? Or, when you teased Yakumo for too long during practice last week, shattered a boulder to encourage you to stop? Or how about that Rock Lee is, from every instance of interaction we have shared and piece of information we have gathered, would never put any comrade at risk. I would think that his admiration for Sakura would only add to such trends when they are together, not detract from them." By the end, the young Aburame had begun to buzz, a major sign of irritation.

Growling, Kiba grabbed his jacket in an effort to stay in control. While he admitted that Shino was smarter than him, his instincts were screaming for him to establish himself as Alpha after such a direct confrontation. "Look, no matter how good a guy Lee seems to be, Sakura is still our teammate. As her teammates, it is our duty to try to protect her, even if it's from her own choices at times." Huffing, he unleashed one of his own glares right back at his friend. "Besides, are you telling me that if Naruto had gotten a clue and started taking Hinata out, we wouldn't do the exact same thing?" Of course, that would mostly be to make sure the idiot did not make the shy Kunoichi cry or something. But in the end the same principle applied.

Fixing him with a look, Shino slowly nodded. "As illogical as it sounds, I can see some minor basis for your argument. Nevertheless, it would probably be a good idea to return your attention to the two below. It appears that things are getting more serious." Blinking, Kiba cursed as he saw Sakura leaning towards Lee, distance and the curtain of Ichiraku's hiding her expression. Reengaging the technique, the Inuzuka smirked as a couple of more bugs headed towards the couple. Logic or no, it seemed Shino had become curious in his own right. Standing still, Kiba became completely absorbed in the conversation below.

* * *

Enjoying a cool glass of water, Rock Lee found himself surprisingly content. Although the events of his recent mission still weighed down upon his shoulders, the budding Taijutsu specialist found his unusual feelings of depression countered by the joy of spending time with the beautiful Sakura-chan. While her fiery nature normally attracted him like a moth, the gentler side she had demonstrated today was like a soothing balm upon his mind. He knew Naruto, as mistreated as he had been, had a surprisingly deep soul. Only someone who could truly see the depths of a person's nature could properly appreciate the wonder of Haruno Sakura. As the shallow or perverse could attest, the pink haired girl could be difficult to bond with. That made the end rewards all the more worth it.

Still, despite his enjoyment of Sakura-chan's company, Lee's tale was coming to the distasteful conclusion. "After a wondrous and difficult battle, all but the leader of the Kurosuki family had been defeated. Unfortunately, the leader of the group was in fact an A-rank missing ninja named Kurosuki Raiga, a former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist." Seeing Sakura shiver at the description, the hard working Genin was quick to reassure her. "Do not fret, Sakura-chan. While his presence was unexpected, between my team and Shikamaru's excellent strategy, we were able to lead the enemy into a trap. That was when we made a rather shocking discovery."

Eyes dimming in memory of those tense moments of confrontation, Lee dropped to a near whisper."Raiga appeared to have miraculous abilities, using his weapons to release massive lightening attacks and casting Genjutsu that fooled even Neji's Byakugan. If Shikamaru had not been able to read the pattern of the attacks, we probably would have been done in. However, after checking over the body, we discovered that Raiga had been carrying a small, badly weakened child!" In all frankness, he could still hear the boy's tears falling over the corpse of the defeated Raiga.

"It was difficult, but from what we could find out, Ranmaru was a survivor of Kiri's Bloodline Massacres. He possessed a weak constitution, but his ability to influence and understand the chakra of others is so incredible that he could cast Genjutsu that could fool Neji and read my attacks like a Sharingan. Raiga apparently rescued him from a purge in his home town, and they had been together ever since. His presence, along with his powerful hook swords allowed the man to rise to prominence as one of the Seven Swordsmen in the first place. Yet, we were forced to kill the man right in front of his valued companion." Seeing the young Kunoichi tearing up, Lee reached for one of his many handkerchiefs. You never could know when the power of youth would move you to tears after all.

Frowning, the boy looked down into his glass. "Regrettably, Neji insisted that we retrieve and seal the body to claim Raiga's bounty. Tenten almost appeared ready to object, before he handed her Raiga's twin swords. Yet neither of them seemed to care about poor Ranmaru's feelings. I tried to protest, but Shikamaru stated that it was well within the guidelines concerning missing ninja, and that his hands were tied. Luckily, I was able to convince Ranmaru to stay with Sanshou-baasan for a while, and her Curry of Life was able to restore his vitality. If all goes well, he might end up cooking his own Curry at that shop someday." Moving to take another sip, Lee gave up and simply replaced his glass on the counter. "Yet now I have one fourth the bounty on Raiga in my pocket, and I don't know what to do with it. He was scum, but he was also all that Ranmaru had, and now I help take away his precious person to be bartered like a dead cow."

The constant struggle had been wearing on his soul ever since they had left the Hunter Ninja department. On one hand, Raiga had been a dangerous missing ninja who had tortured and subjugated an entire village in horribly brutal ways. Yet the man had also cared for an innocent boy who was simply a victim of circumstance. The honorable part of Rock Lee that drove him to find greater heights as a splendid ninja thought they should have simply given the man a proper funeral to honor his abilities if nothing else. Yet the practical side formed from his constant efforts to improve as a ninja told him that Neji and Tenten were not wrong. He just could not find a way to satisfy his morals and his teachings at the same time.

Hearing Sakura-chan's own cup come down, Lee turned to look into her green eyes. For just a second, he was shocked by how close she seemed. "Lee, we're ninja and sometimes killing is part of the job. When I first left the Academy, I didn't know what I was getting myself into and it's only through the efforts of people like Naruto and Kurenai-sensei that I lasted as long as I did." Frowning, she then bit her lip. "But that part about claiming the bounty does sound kind of strange for Neji. Did he say anything about why he needed it so bad?"

Returning her frown with one of his own, Lee sighed. "When I pressed him about it, Neji admitted to having money trouble. Ever since the Fifth Hokage left Konoha, my team has been pulling mostly minor missions around the village. While easy to complete, they don't pay very well. In fact, Neji practically begged Jiraiya-sama for a higher level mission, and he would only provide one if Gai-sensei was freed up for other responsibilities. Still, it did make a difference." In all frankness, he was uncomfortable talking about this. As an orphan himself, Lee was not that well off either, and it was only through splitting his expenses with Gai-sensei that he had managed as well as he had. For a couple of teenagers limited to what they earned as ninja, both Neji and Tenten had to be troubled even more than him. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was remind Sakura-chan of Naruto-kun's exodus with the honored Hokage.

However, other than a brief flash of pain in her expression, Sakura did not seem to react to his comment. Instead, she put a hand on his arm, causing his heartbeat to rise at an alarming rate. "Lee-kun, while it's noble to do your best to protect the village and precious people, being worried about money is not unreasonable. I've seen more and more career Genin getting desperate while trying to take assignments outside their ability to handle. With the ban on A and S rank missions, available positions are drying up fast."

Removing her hand, the young Kunoichi gave him a sad smile. Yet all he could feel was the traces of heat from her previous touch. "Now Neji is newly orphaned being cut off from the Hyuga Clan. For the first time in his life he has to worry about feeding himself and keeping a roof over his head. Living with Tenten probably helped, but now he is indebted to someone without anyway of using his abilities, name or position to fix things. In all honesty, he's probably overcompensating to pay Tenten back. Believe me, no one wants to be a burden."

Listening to her explanation, Lee felt a familiar smile begin to grow. While he did not believe that his teammates were romantically involved, it would just be like Neji to do something like this to help establish his independence. Taking Raiga's hook swords was probably his idea of a bonus for the weapons obsessed girl. "Thank you Sakura-chan, I had not thought of it in such terms. I cannot thank you enough for helping me work through this. You are a truly gifted listener." Blinking, the boy looked at his companion's face more closely. Was Sakura-chan actually blushing?

Shaking her head, the young cherry blossom reached for her purse, a sigh on her lips. "Lee-kun, please don't worry. No matter how difficult things are now, I know they'll get better. Our village and friends are simply too strong to go down that easily." Paying for her meal, Sakura once again met his gaze, a soft smile on her lips. "After all, if there is one things that I have learned as a ninja, its that we can only do our best. So hang in there, for me at least?"

Seeing the beautiful Sakura-chan before him, smiling so kindly, caused Lee to lose control. Before he knew what he was doing, the Taijutsu specialist had grabbed the girl, giving her a peck on the forehead. "Yosh! Never fear, Sakura-chan! I swear that I will regain my drive before pushing to even greater heights! Let us both show the world what we can do with the true power of youth!"

Flashing the prone girl a nice guy pose before throwing down his own payment for the meal, Lee ran full tilt towards the edge of the village. He had wasted too much time today worrying about nothing. He would now do his best to support Neji and Tenten in their struggling springtime of youth. If he could not manage that, he would run around the village twenty times with twice his normal weights! Of course, caught up in the fervor of training and youthful poses, Lee would forget all about the minor kiss until just before going to bed. The resulting blush almost put his Sunset Genjutsu to shame.

* * *

Feeling his allies slowly becoming more and more agitated, Shino did his best to remain calm. The facade of stoicism that he presented to the world was mostly designed to allow him to preserve his control in stressful situations. The history of his clan was rife with stories those who lost themselves to raw emotion, only to be consumed by the insects that inhabited their bodies. Only through careful management of his chakra could he prevent such an accident, so the young Aburame had a lot of practice with this particular exercise. In fact, even among his clansmen, he was considered something of a prodigy with this particular ability.

That did not mean that Kiba had not tested his limits before, as demonstrated by his current train of thought. Actually, and avalanche of aggression would probably be more accurate. "I cannot believe that scumbag! One minute, she just gives him a little smile, and the next has that eyebrow freak grabbing her before fleeing the scene of the crime! I should go track that bastard down, unleash Akamaru on his ass and bury him six feet under! Who does that jackass think he is?" Feeling a headache coming on, Shino allowed himself to glare behind his sun glasses. Kiba had been reiterating this argument and variations of it for the last fifteen minutes, ever since they had left the roof after their surveillance. While he was a little annoyed with the older Genin himself, Shino was not about to allow his emotions to overcome his logic. Kiba, as always, did not seem to share his restraint.

Finally frustrated with the circular logic of his comrade, Shino decided that enough was enough. "Kiba, Sakura knows where Lee is and has more than enough feminine fury to kill him herself if she so desires. Honestly, despite her track record in that area, I don't believe that she will do so. All we observed, and my allies confirmed, was that Lee gave her a hug and a one point three second peck on the forehead. That is a far cry from molesting her on the street. You anger is misdirected and illogical, so please restrain yourself. All this shouting is beginning to give me a headache." Deciding to make a point, the Aburame relaxed his control over his hive for a second. The resulting buzz was almost enough to shatter the windows around them.

Lowering his voice slightly, Kiba turned to face him, still red with anger. "Shino, I cannot believe you! We both know that Lee is stronger and faster that Sakura! If he truly wanted to use her like that, what could she really do to protect herself? It's our duty to protect our teammate from anyone who would threaten her, so there's no way we can let that jerk get away with this!" Pausing, Shino raised an eyebrow in confusion before shaking his head. There was only one way that Kiba would equate such a simple gesture with physical assault. If not for his friends increasing lack of logic and aggressive behavior, he would almost be amused by this new conclusion.

Grabbing the Inuzuka's arm, Shino refused to move until they were face to face. "Kiba, this behavior is most unbecoming. Your level of rage over something so minor in the grand scheme of things concerns me. If I did not know better, I would almost think that you were jealous." Feeling the light muscle tension underneath the coat in his grasp, the young Genin almost smiled. "Well, I suppose such a development is to be expected. Despite some odd personality quirks, she is a relatively attractive female around our age. Hinata spent enough time to adopt the designation of sister, but Sakura has no such title. When you examine all the hard facts, your growing emotions concerning our female teammate is to be expected."

Growling, Kiba shook off his grip. "Yeah right, Shino that's just crazy. You think I'm jealous of that bastard Lee? I'm just trying to look out for a teammate and a pretty decent friend. There is nothing romantic between me and Sakura." Giving off a forced laugh, his friend turned away. "Besides, after seeing what Naruto went through, why would I try to date Sakura? How's that for logic?" Beginning to mumble, Shino had to strain hear his next words. "Although she has gotten pretty cute and strong, hasn t she?"

Patting Kiba on the back, Shino shook his head. "While I admit that her behavior towards Naruto was troubling at times, remember that he never seemed to give up on her. While he lacked any sort of logic or pattern to his methods, Naruto did have an odd ability to notice what others missed. Therefore, I have to assume that he noticed the potential that Sakura had even then. He just lacked the necessary skills to recognize Sakura's signals and deal with them accordingly. I believe that we can both agree that he is much better at working by the seat of his pants." After all, those tactics landed him in the Chunin Exam Finals while Kiba was sent to the infirmary.

Apparently the argument was enough to calm the Inuzuka down. The righteous anger had left his face, and now his friend simply looked a bit lost. Shino knew that Kiba would have to work these emotions out on his own, but that did not mean he could not distract him for the moment. "Besides, given the attitudes of both your mother and sister, I would have thought that an attraction to strong women was unavoidable." Shino only had a moment to replace himself with a bug clone before Kiba pounced, once again in a state of righteous fury. Pushing his glasses up in satisfaction, the young Aburame led the dog and his master towards their regular training ground. If Kiba needed to blow off some steam, it was only logical to make effective use of that pent up energy by fighting one another into a bloody pulp. It did seem to be the most effective form in male bonding available in the village after all.

* * *

Allowing her feet to move without direction, Sakura felt herself falling into a daze. Luckily, even Lee at his worst would not steal her first kiss, but the sudden contact had shocked her to the core. For just a moment, she had been totally at the older Genin's mercy, helpless to move or shout in his strong arms. Yet instead of feeling threatened, the young girl had been wrapped in a cocoon of peace and safety. Somehow, she knew that while in Lee's arms, nothing would ever hurt her. The kiss to the forehead, minor as it was, had only enhanced the sensation. While the entire encounter had taken seconds, Sakura was left feeling oddly breathless. No matter how much she mentally shouted that it was just Lee, she still could not relax her thundering heart.

Conflicted by her churning emotions, the pink haired girl finally forced herself towards the central park. Taking a seat, the young Kunoichi attempted to understand why the contact had affected her so badly. It was just a simple hug and a light contact peck on the forehead. Really, something that minor should be no big deal! Yet, as she sat there reflecting on her feelings, Sakura came to a shocking conclusion. The only other one to ever express interest in her like that was Naruto! For the first time, she had been held by someone who cared for her, and had no problem telling her she was beautiful. The idea that someone actually wanted her in such a fashion left her feeling desirable in a way she had never experienced before. Yet she could not deny that the sensation was a pleasant one.

Luckily, before she could become completely bogged down by her own confusion, a familiar voice broke through the evening. "Hey Sakura! What the heck are you doing all the way out here?" Looking up, Sakura smiled at the sight before her. Ino and Anko-sensei were heading up the path, covered in blood and dirt. It was a testament to the blonde's growth as a Kunoichi that she did not seem to care about her appearance in the presence of her long time rival. The pink haired Kunoichi thought it was a sign of her own growth that she did not care too much in the first place. Of course, the happy feelings of friendship that Ino inspired these days went out the window with the sudden sharpness of her look. Biting her lip, Sakura realized that she had forgotten one key fact, and there was no way that her friend would miss it.

Giving her a slow and deliberate once-over, Ino smirked. "So Sakura, what's with the outfit? While I admit that it works nicely with your eyes, it's awfully fancy to use in training. So either you new ninja path requires some time in the Red Light District, or you're trying to catch a guy!" Despite her best efforts, the mention of a guy brought Lee's smiling face to mind, causing the young girl to let out a slight shiver. Pouncing on her weakness, Ino went in for the kill. "So it's true! Come one, who's the lucky guy? You can tell me I swear!" Seeing the hungry look in the blonde's eyes, Sakura felt like a fish in front of a hungry shark.

"It wasn't like that Ino. I just offered to treat Lee-kun to ramen after a difficult mission. He looked really down, and I thought he could use some cheering up." Seeing the blonde's grin going wider, Sakura turned crimson. "Not like that you pervert! I just ate with him and listened to his story, as a friend!" Somehow, after seeing that demented grin still in place, the pink haired girl just knew that she was not off the hook just yet.

Hearing a snort, Sakura's heart sank as Anko-sensei decided to get into the mix. From what she knew of the woman from her own experiences and Kurenai-sensei's stories, this was not going to be pleasant. "So Gai's little clone is Lee-KUN, is he?" Bristling, the pink haired girl let out a unconscious growl, only for the Snake Jonin to chuckle. "No reason to get so pissed, brat. I was just wondering how close the two of you really are? I mean, what did he do that would put you, a Konoha Kunoichi in such a state." Looking down, Sakura attempted to mumble out the answer, only to once again find her body betraying her. Anko's mocking tone did not help. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't hear you and neither could Ino-chan. Could you repeat that please?"

Frustrated, the young Kunoichi pinned her tormentors with a glare. "I said that Lee-kun hugged me, pecked me on the head and I liked it ok? I liked it a lot!" Huffing, she tried to ignore the squeals from Ino or the older Kunoichi's laughing. So she could admit attraction to someone other than Sasuke in public. It was not that big of a deal! Of course, having Ino tackle her in a hug left her feeling a bit better. While the dirt would be a pain to get out, at least the blonde was happy for her instead of trying to taunt her feelings.

No, that was left for the more experienced Anko-sensei. "Man, you kids are such virgins. Why the hell are you reacting so strongly to a freaking hug?" Blushing, Sakura could only hope that her face was not as red as Ino's. The idea of doing something like that was just plain overwhelming! Rolling her eyes, the Snake Jonin snorted. "Oh grow up. When you earned that headband, you became adults in every way that matters within Konoha. Sure, we don't recommend such activities for your age group because of potential complications that the young and stupid tend to find themselves in, but it's still perfectly legal." Feeling the heat permeate her skin, Sakura knew she must look a fright now. Still, that did not keep some small part of her mind from reviewing the results of such actions and giggling like a pervert. Seeing her friend daintily wipe away her nose, the cherry blossom knew that she was not the only one.

Shaking her head, Anko smirked. "Ok, I think you two need to calm down. Just relax pinky because I don't think you have anything to worry about. Gai might be a little weird, but he's a good guy and teacher. If Lee pays attention to even half of what that man tells him about the fairer sex, then you will be a very happy woman." Seeing an odd gleam enter the older woman's eyes, Sakura felt a chill run down her spine. While the news was welcome, there were some things that impressionable minds just did not need to know!

Dusting herself off, Ino mirrored her Sensei with a evil smirk. "No, what I think you need to do is blow off some steam, Sakura before you explode. Why don't you come over and help me with whatever idiots attempted to trash Naruto's place this time? You would be shocked with how relaxing it is to beat the tar out of a bunch of perverted idiots." Narrowing her eyes, the pink haired Kunoichi cracked her knuckles while joining in with the grins. While she might not know what would happen with Lee-kun in the future, there was something that she was always willing to admit. Nothing relaxed her like showing some moron why they should not piss her off! Besides, after thinking about Naruto so much tonight, taking down a few perverted jerks would be almost nostalgic.

* * *

Looking over the numerous colored stalls, Tsunade sighed in relief. Despite the front she put up for the others, the trip from Sea Country had been nerve-wracking. While she knew that they needed to train both Naruto and Hinata up as quickly as possible, every flare of chakra had brought visions of Hunter Ninja from other countries or worse, Konoha itself. While she was fairly confident that, here in the more familiar forests of the Land of Fire, her team would have no problems defending themselves, their civilian guest was not so secure. Still, by forcing them to work on a smaller scale than before, she was fairly sure they had gone undetected. Not allowing Naruto to leave packs of clones this time had also probably done a lot to cover their trail. Now that they had arrived, she would finally get a chance to look over the spoils from Sea Country and try to heal poor Isaribi-chan.

Now that they had reached their destination, though, the blonde Kunoichi knew that they had some breathing room. The only ones who would dare mess around this deeply behind the Land of Fire's borders would be allied nations and Konoha itself. No one else would send in the forces required to launch an attack upon a legendary Sannin, let alone her apprentices. Even without knowing the specifics of their training, few nations would be stupid to send in forces less than Kiri had attempted. So that just left disgruntled Konoha ninja, a couple of minor villages, and the Akatsuki. Honestly it was much better than dealing with Iwa, Kumo and Suna on top of that. Knowing Orochimaru as she did, Oto would probably pull back and evaluate any loses from the Sea Country base before launching another attack. He was slippery like that.

Still, as she observed her companions from the corner of her eye, Tsunade was impressed with what they had accomplished on the road. Despite her confident claims, the Hokage had been surprised when Hinata had managed three stable clones by the second day of training. It left her drained, and none of the clones could put up much of a fight, but it did allow her to work extensively on academic knowledge and control. Naruto was making quick progress with the Infinite Darkness technique, and with a few more days of work, he might actually master it completely. While the overall difference the Shadow Clones made on paper was not that impressive, in practice she was quite pleased with the results. Now they just had to find time to add ninja style battle strategy before the next confrontation and they would all be that much safer.

Turning to face the others, Tsunade began to deliver her instructions. "We will be here for about a week in order to look over Isaribi-chan." Seeing the girl blush the blonde let out a little smile. Whenever they were not training, both Naruto and Hinata had made a point of talking with the poor child. Over time, the three had become close, and it did the Sannin proud to see them making more friends. None of them had anywhere enough support as far as she was concerned. Besides, it did wonders to bring the civilian out of her shell.

"While the examinations and analysis are important, we will also be using this as an opportunity to restock and rest. While I hope that we can keep any more confrontations to a minimum, I'm not stupid enough to think that will actually happen. Crater City has a fairly decent underground market, so with a little haggling we should be able to restock weapons, rations, medicines and other necessary training supplies. Don't worry about space or financing. This is a situation where having too much is better than having too little." Seeing Hinata, Shizune and Hana light up at the idea of some shopping, the blonde smirked. While she knew that everyone here, besides Isaribi-chan, was a serious ninja and thus used to living off the land, that did not mean that they enjoyed it twenty-four-seven. This was just the sort of thing everyone needed to unwind after so many stressful battles. Poor Naruto had no idea what was about to hit him.

Speaking of the brat, she was surprised to see him light up at the prospect of being there as well. Honestly, the Sannin thought he would complain about the lack of training time all things considered. Her questions were answered once he turned towards Hinata. "Hey Hinata-chan, since we're going to be here for a bit anyways, would you like to go out with me? The old pervert took me here once, and they usually have an awesome festival going on. What do you say?" While his enthusiasm was no less than normal, Tsunade could not help but smirk at the little quiver in his tone. Apparently the great Uzumaki Naruto was actually nervous for once.

Luckily for her sense of drama, and Naruto's self confidence, the answer was never in doubt. While she was no longer fainting from causal conversation, Hinata's face lit up like a bonfire at the request. Nevertheless, her voice was rock steady with its reply. "I would be honored to go to the festival with you Naruto-kun. Let's plan on the next available day after we restock our supplies, ok?" Tsunade was also proud to note the younger Kunoichi had not even twitched to press her fingers together. Hinata really had come a long way.

Deciding that they had chatted long enough Tsunade-turned to Shizune and Hana. "Ok, you know the drill, Shizune. Leave Tonton and take Hana with you to make the arrangements. After all, the sooner we prepare for Isaribi-chan's examination, the sooner these two can go on their date." Seeing the two teens blush furiously, it was the Hokage could do to hold back a laugh. Really, those two were just too cute sometimes! Seeing two people who cared so much about one another honestly made her feel twenty years younger!

* * *

Fighting back a grimace, Jiraiya faced his two, newest subordinates. While he had hoped to keep them busy for a while yet, it appeared that he could no longer stretch this out. While he had been able to track any number of civilian and ninja collaborators after analyzing their movements, the Toad Sage had hoped that Tsunade could deal with them directly before things got to this point. Nevertheless, that did not mean that he was unprepared for the possibility. "Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, it is my honor to inform you that, after rigorous effort, you each have passed you recertification requirements. As such, you are both able to reacquire you former ranks as Jonin's of each of you believe that you are capable of following the directives and upholding the strains of the position? If there is any doubt in either of your minds, speak now or forever hold you peace."

Much to his chagrin, neither Elder so much as hesitated. In a movement as smooth as silk, each bowed and offered their ritualistic acceptance of their ranks. While both Homura and Koharu appeared to be picture perfect examples of loyal ninja, Jiraiya just knew that they had to be laughing behind their wrinkles. He was honestly tempted to simply fail them back to Genin right then and there but held his hand. If he was not careful, the public outcry of any further perceived mistreatment of the two honorable councilors could touch off a riot. While he was sure that the elders would be a problem in the future, Jiraiya had to uphold his word. Besides, he did have something to keep both out of his hair for quite some time.

Returning their headbands, Jiraiya stood to signal the guards. Suddenly the three ninja were surrounded by ANBU. Noticing that the little show had been unable to spark the slightest reaction, the Toad Sage felt like pouting. Making one of the old farts have a heart attack would have been so worth it. "Since you have both regained your positions, I feel that it is time to put you to work. Come with me for your first mission." Nodding to the guards, he waited as two opened the door before leading the two elders into the main body of the tower.

While the Hokage Tower appeared to be almost pathetically open, any ninja would tell you that hiding in plain sight was more effective than all the camouflage Genjutsus on the planet. Although quite a bit of public business went on there, such as assigning missions and meeting with clients, there were whole levels of the tower that only the most trusted ninja would know about. Seeing as the entire party had substantial security clearance, none were shocked by the lead ANBU activating a sealing array on the third floor, exposing a hidden path. Biting his thumb, Jiraiya deactivated the security seals before allowing the group to continue. There were some tricks down there that would make even him nervous.

They walked downward for nearly ten minutes before coming across a solid steal door, inscribed with various seals. This time, it was the two lead ANBU who stepped forward, nicking their thumbs with practiced ease. Moving in perfect harmony, both guards swiped their bloody appendages across two seals on either side of the tower, causing the doors to crack. If either had been a second faster or slower than their fellows, the entire frame would have gone off like an explosive tag. Luckily for everyone involved, their timing was as perfect as humanly possible.

Opening the door, it appeared to be a simple safe room. While not overly large, the area was surprisingly comfortable. There were numerous electrical lights positioned around the circumference of the area, chasing away any shadows. Two doors positioned directly in front of the main entrance appeared sturdy, while there was no sign of rot or insects. The center of the chamber though drew everyone s attention. Two desks covered with yellowing papers took up nearly thirty percent of the space. If not for the lack of windows, the room could have been mistaken as an office from any of the capitols business companies.

Turning to the elders, Jiraiya fought to remain calm. Both Homura and Koharu looked like they had bitten a lemon. Since they had been around since before this tower had even been built, he was fairly sure they knew what was coming. "As you know, this safe room is only to be utilized when examining documentation that could be vital for the protection of the village. This is every scrap of paperwork that we were able to retrieve from the illegal operation ROOT and its leader Danzou. I want both of you working here night and day until each and every piece of paper has been sorted out."

Pointing to the two doors, Jiraiya was only able to maintain his expression from sheer willpower. "I believe that you know about the facilities and attached quarters. Of course, given the sensitive nature of this material, I will leave two ANBU here to guard over your efforts for the duration. In the meantime, I leave this operation in your capable hands." Signaling the rest of the guards, Jiraiya left without giving either elder a moment to complain. Turning, he watched both elders head towards the desks in resignation as the doors slowly closed.

Safe in the knowledge that the elders were once again contained, Jiraiya headed back to the surface, whistling a little tune. Returning to the office, he dismissed the ANBU, only to be surprised by the inactions of one of his closest subordinates. Curious, the Sannin raised an eyebrow. "Is there something that I can do for you, Tenzou?" Taking that as a signal, the ANBU elite lifted his mask, worry clear in his eyes.

"I apologize for my impertinence, Jiraiya-sama, but was that completely wise? We are fairly certain that there is documented proof tying both Elders to Danzou's operation. Even two ANBU observers might not be enough to prevent the destruction of that evidence, given who we are dealing with." While Tenzou was good enough to hide most of his emotions, without the mask he was mostly an open book to the Sannin. Smirking, Jiraiya wondered if this is what Naruto felt like after a particularly effective prank.

"Tenzou, I needed to give both of them a task that could only be handled by a Jonin. It had to be something that they were uniquely suited for, while keeping them out of circulation. Although it would be easier to simply throw them into jail for suspected treason, I don't want to try it without some serious political support or concrete evidence. With the Daimyo still trying to support the old two farts, even a written confession would probably not be enough. This way they will hopefully be pushing paper until Tsunade comes back, and without constant attention, all the grassroots campaigns they have been developing within the civilian population will begin to lose momentum."

Seeing his ANBU captain begin to calm down, Jiraiya's smirk turned downright vicious. "Oh, and if there is evidence down there they don't want me to know, both will be the first to inform me of that fact no matter how troublesome it is." Seeing Tenzou appeared confused by his statement, the Toad Sannin waved it off. "Sorry, just a little personal joke. Now why don't you go finish off your shift and take a day off? I think you could use it." Returning his mask to position, Tenzou saluted before disappearing in a cloud of leaves. Leaning back, the Sage cracked his neck. Hopefully, round two would be a proper victory, complete with sake and cute girls to serve it. Giggling, Jiraiya reached for a notebook to record the mental scene.

* * *

Authors Notes

Ok, who didn't see that one coming?

Thanks to everyone for their reviews for the last chapter. Between the excellent response and a sudden burst of creativity, I managed to get this one out faster than anticipated. I hope that everyone enjoys my foray into WAFF, because it's still not my happy place. Nevertheless, after several talks with my allies in the fanfiction community, I hope I was able to produce something somewhat enjoyable. After all, the nice guy should get the girl every now and then, ne?

Now, while I have your attention, I thought I would cover a few points that reviewers seem to be curious about.

First of all, no, I have no current plans to make this a Bleach Crossover. So no super powered soul sword.

Secondly, yes we will have Naruto go ape shit in the future. However, my goal is to demonstrate his power in spite of the Kyuubi, not because of it. So prepare for the red chakra to only show up under the direst of circumstances (hint hint)

Thirdly, yes the Kumo ninja will come into play, but not for a while. Ironically, they have a line cutting in front of them.

Fourthly, Tsunade derived her talk to the apprentices from information gathered from their perspective and the secondary observations of a traumatized civilian. Of course the information is a little biased, but she really had no other method of evaluating the situation. Anyways the end result of the confrontation is enough for me. I just needed a vehicle to start their training again, and a little confusion over the details won t get in my way.

Fifthly, yes the Hyuga situation sucks, but the method I have in mind for dealing with it is going to take more time. After all, there are still several challenge requirements left before the dramatic conclusion.

Sixthly, for all issues in terms of the pairings, I refer you to my profile page. This was not an intentional snub or a pathetic lie. I have done my best to meet your needs as readers in good faith, so please stop calling me names for my efforts.

Seventh, yes there is a reason that Hinata was able to pull off the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and no I m not sharing until later ***evil grin***

Other than that, I again thank everybody for their input and humbly beg for more to fuel my creative drive. ***puppy dog eyes***

Now for the next chapter, our heroes must deal with one of the most soul sucking and draining experiences available within the realms of sentient beings. Of course, I am talking about shopping. Stay tuned!


	36. Killer Fashions

No I don't own Naruto. However, if anyone would prefer that ownership of the franchise would pass on to me, then feel free to comment. I never turn down a boost to the old ego :)

Chapter Thirty Three: Killer Fashions

Looking over the temporary base that Shizune and Hana had secured, Tsunade suppressed an eyebrow twitch. The building before her was on the northern side of the settlement, flush against the natural boundary of the city. So that made maybe one stable wall, since it looked like the entire structure could be blown over by a strong wind! The front door was barely hanging off its hinges, with the lock clearly broken in two and rusting away. The left wall was covered in a worn tarp that seemed to do little to hide some smoldering fire damage while the right was secured by a few moss covered boulders. All in all, she had seen tents posted by first year Academy students that were more stable. When her apprentice had returned from the scouting trip she had mentioned that the temporary base was a little on the worn side, but this was crazy!

Forcing herself to remain calm, the Slug Sannin tried to convince herself that this was nowhere near as bad as it appeared to be. After all, it could be a special Genjutsu, or camouflage for a hidden cave or something. But entering the structure with her party did not raise the blonde's spirits. The natural ventilation left a sensation of perpetual draft, while the floor was covered in any number of nesting bugs and various fungi. In fact, she recognized a couple that, when infecting a host, resulted in blood poisoning and eventual death. This was definitely not the sort of place she wanted to perform a medical examination in! "Shizune, if this is your idea of a prank, I might just need to have Naruto sit you down and provide some lessons! There is such a thing as taking things too far!"

"It couldn't be helped, Tsunade-sama. We are only going to be here for a week, and anything in better shape was a small fortune. We don't want to set up permanent residence, now do we? After all, you were the one who thought that having a base of operations would be too tempting a target." Wincing at her subordinates tone, Tsunade did her best to stay focused. Sure she did not want to buy a place their enemies could target, but that did not mean she wanted to forgo proper plumbing! They had been in the forest for too long and she needed a good soak!

"Now don't worry too much about this place. It does have its share of surprises after all. Just let me change and we'll get to the more comfortable parts of the residence." Waiting impatiently for her apprentice to shrug off her disguise, Tsunade hoped that this was worth it. At least it did not take too long for the middle aged man to transform into the young woman. Sometimes, it was just plain creepy how easily Shizune could cross dress when they were involved in one of their schemes. Not that the blonde Sannin ever thought she could pull it off, just an observation for when she was slightly bored.

Resealing the costume for later, the brunette grabbed Tonton and headed towards the back of the house. "While I admit that this place is not fit for a stray cat, most people avoid this part of town. The house is actually owned by one of the local heads of the black ninja market, and his reputation is quite good. I'll make sure to take Hinata and Naruto back there later to restock some supplies. Anyways, the house itself is practically worthless, except all the locals know better than to squat there. This is what we're after." Coming up to a side wall, Shizune pushed at a discolored portion of the stone. Almost immediately, a door-sized area shifted away, revealing a downward stair case. Shizune led the rest of them down without pause.

The hidden basement was in much better shape than the mess upstairs. Someone had been thoughtful enough to provide torches and flint that took no time at all to activate. While dark, the room was dry, with the space being divided into three separate rooms by several screens. An area over in the far corner had been converted into a rough bathroom area, with a crude shower, water basin and toilet in place. All in all, while simple it was better than nothing. "It's not exactly a five star hotel, but we should be able to review Amachi's materials in relative peace down here. There's also an escape tunnel we can use to leave about five miles outside of Crater City once we're done. Short of buying out an old mansion or something, I couldn't come up with anything better for our purposes."

Sighing in frustration, Tsunade shook her head. "I guess that I can understand that. We'd better get to work because the sooner that we're done here the sooner that we can get back on the road." Turning to Hana, her tone became just a little sharper. "Of course, I'm going need Shizune to get this place properly prepared for our needs. I trust that you know enough about the local ninja suppliers to meet our needs?"

Shrugging, the Inuzuka began reaching for her own pack. "Well, I haven't gone around Crater City before, but if you've seen one black market you've seen them all. Just let me change and I'll get directions from Shizune. An Inuzuka with a couple of younger brats will attract less attention than three ninja clearly trying to hide their identities. Besides, the makeup itches." Observing the cover-up on Hana's cheeks and the civilian dress she had worn to hide her appearance, Tsunade had to agree. Besides, she was the only one still sporting her leaf symbol, so that should scare off some of the more curious onlookers.

"Very well, leave a couple of your dogs as guards and take Naruto and Hinata to resupply. In the meantime, Shizune and I will begin our analysis on Isaribi's condition. Just setting up the examination area is going to take some time. Between the subjects and notes that were recovered, I think we'll be busy for a while." That was putting it mildly. Honestly, examining Isaribi was probably going to be the easy part. Between whatever codes and security measures Amachi left in his research, understanding the whole mess could take hours if not days.

Hearing a throat clear, the blonde looked up to see the determined gaze of her youngest apprentice. "Are you sure that you want us to leave, Tsunade-sama? Perhaps we could be of help in Isaribi's examination." Seeing that said teenager currently had the Hyuga's arm in a death grip, and Naruto was rubbing her shoulders, Tsunade realized what was going on. Both Chunin were trying to offer moral support to the clearly terrified civilian. After all, in her experiences with Amachi, examinations probably involved pain and hopelessness on a grand scale. It was honestly a very touching scene and one that made her quite proud of the two students before her.

Unfortunately, this was a bad time to indulge such emotions. "I'm sorry Hinata, but you really need new materials. We've been in the wilds for a while, and who knows when we can possibly get another chance like this? Besides, some of the examinations will be very delicate, so the fewer people involved the better. While I'm quite happy with your determination in absorbing everything you can, this will be a bit beyond you." That, and the more people in the area, the more their chakra signals could interfere with the scan, but no reason to put it like that. She had seen what the very idea of being a burden had done to Hinata's confidence, and had no desire to undo months of effort because of a few careless words.

Pulling the two girls into a hug, Naruto let loose one of his best grins. "Don't worry you guys. Baa-chan will do everything she can to help Isaribi-chan, so let's leave her to it. Besides, if she messes up, she'll have to deal with me, and she wouldn't dare." Seeing the heroic pose made both Hinata and Isaribi crack up, before the two Chunin moved to follow Hana towards the market. Seeing the girls smile fade, Tsunade repressed the urge to tease her. It was clear that the civilian needed all the support she could get.

Looking over the largest space, the senior medic began to bark orders. "Shizune, I want an area of three meters squared to be prepared and sterilized for use. I'll begin putting together the medical seals and boiling the water for the deep tissue analysis. Isaribi, why don't you change into something a little more comfortable? The less you're wearing, the easier the process will be." Sure the set up was a little crude, but she was Tsunade of the Sannin! She had honestly worked miracles with less than this, and had no intention of losing her reputation with someone's life on the line. Throwing her torn coat to the side, the blonde medic began to get to work.

* * *

Isaribi looked over the assorted medical supplies with trepidation. Over the course of the last hour, Tsunade and Shizune had transformed the largest space in the hideaway into a sterile examination area, scrubbing floors and inscribing odd seals with relentless energy. Then, once the area was prepared the blonde moved to prepare her for the procedure, painting more seals on key parts of her body while the younger woman placed basins of nearly boiling water around the center of the symbols. The civilian did not know anything about their methods or techniques, but something deep in her gut told her that this was much more advanced than anything Amachi had ever managed. That knowledge filled her with a combination of excitement and worry. In all honesty, she was completely out of her depth here, and was beginning to wish Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan had stayed. She would not have even minded if the boy had seen her barely wearing anything besides ink and bandages.

Finishing up the last stroke of ink, Tsunade smiled at her. "Now I know that you're nervous, Isaribi-chan but don't worry. These symbols allow us to fine tune our analysis of the various changes within your body. Basically, I will be able to take an image of how your body reacts to my scans and measure all sorts of things from the reactions. This means that we don't have to perform any exploratory surgery, but you might feel a little odd at the beginning. Shizune is going to be reviewing some of the other research notes, so it will be just the two of us ok? I just need you to lie down in the center of the matrix and allow me to concentrate. I swear that I will not allow anything to happen to you so stay as still as possible."

Gulping, the young civilian hesitantly followed the Sannin into the center diagram, forcing herself to remain calm. Still, when the symbols all began to glow with an eerie green light, it was all she could do not to scream. Luckily, Tsunade was quick to pick up on her distress, or she might have bolted for the exit. "Now, Isaribi-chan, please calm down. These seals allow me to direct my chakra to each and every part of your body in order to properly evaluate the nature of your changes. Given the level of detail allowed with this construct, I should be able to map out everything from your skeletal structure to the chemical reactions in your brain. I know it looks scary, but the sooner you calm down, the sooner we'll be done."

Forcing her building fear under control, Isaribi closed her eyes. She was used to scans and analysis, but in her experience they usually resulted in knives without pain killers. However, Tsunade was clearly the superior medical ninja, because the scan felt nothing like that. In fact, it was almost like she was cocooned in a strong wall of medical chakra that offered comfort. The young civilian could almost sense the moment when the seals all over her own body lit up, allowing the medical chakra to infuse her at the cellular level.

As the wave of greenish energy swept through her body, the young girl felt herself falling asleep. It had been years since she had felt so warm and protected, and the orphan in her cried out for more. Yet, the energy seemed determined to keep her aware for the entire experience. Every muscle from the tip of her toes to the roots of her hair was tingling as if they had fallen asleep only to be pricked with a needle. Her lungs took more air, her heart beat faster and she almost broke out into a sweat despite not moving at all. Then, something cool and slick seemed to coat her leg.

Trying not to jerk at the sudden contact, Isaribi opened her eyes only to blink in surprise at the blinding green light radiating throughout the room. Looking downward, the civilian was shocked as the water from each of the basins from earlier seemed to crawl across her skin, reflecting the glowing seals like a distorted piece of sea glass. It was almost as if the medical chakra was guiding the water like a magnet would to metal shavings. While not uncomfortable, she was beginning to get a little freaked out. Tsunade appeared to be located behind her head, and the lack of anyone within her sight was nerve-wracking. Almost to the point of panic, the girl was about to ask for help or information before the water seemed to sink within her skin. At that point, she could barely focus on the need to breathe.

It was not like the experience was painful or anything. For some reason, the nerves that had been singing moments ago seemed almost dull in their current lack of reaction. Yet, that did not mean that she could not sense the liquid moving throughout her body. If she concentrated hard enough, Isaribi felt the water entering her lungs only to leave before drowning her. The heart was clenched in the liquid for a mere moment before it continued to move on. There was no way to know how long the chakra infused water circulated through her body, and the young girl lost count of the number of times that it grasped a particular muscle or organ. But before she knew what was happening, the water had exited, now tainted a faint yellowish black. With the same otherworldliness as before, the liquid returned to the four basins, without a single drop landing on the floor.

"Alright Isaribi-chan, that takes care of that. Why don't we get you cleaned up for a little nap?" Startled by the voice, Isaribi realized that Tsunade was still there the whole time, silent in the midst of her technique. Turning, the civilian was shocked by the appearance of the medic. The woman was drenched in sweat, her hair hanging limply down her back. While no imperfection or blemish appeared on her face, to the young civilian it almost looked like the woman was smaller than before. She honestly wondered how much power that technique had taken out of the medic, and felt all the more lucky that they had agreed to help her.

Standing, the girl was shocked to nearly fall on her side. While she had done nothing but lie there, it felt like every bone, muscle and hair in her body was crying out in exhaustion. It was all she could do to leave the circle before collapsing into the Sannin's waiting arms. "I'm sorry, Isaribi-chan, but the examination took longer than I thought. You're probably exhausted to the bone, so just let me clean you off and tuck you in. Once you wake up, I swear we'll go over the results, ok?" Helpless from the sudden lack or energy, Isaribi could not even nod her acceptance before passing out in exhaustion.

* * *

Turning a corner, Hana focused on Shizune's directions to the best of her ability. Already she had cursed her pride in attempting to memorize the medic's detailed instructions instead of asking for a note. While she kept up her training and contacts with other members of the ninja community, the Inuzuka Kunoichi had spent the last couple of years solely dealing with the needs of her family's canine companions. As a result, she was honestly a little rusty when it came to dealing with the twists and turns of the hidden enclaves. So when the entrance to Crater City's black market suddenly came into view, it was all she could do not to show her excitement. No reason to come off looking like a rookie after all. Quickly checking for tails both with her own senses and the input of her companion, the Chunin led her juniors into the lion's den.

After walking a few feet, the three ninja broke through a wide area Genjutsu, revealing stalls just as bustling as those in the main streets of the city. Only, instead of food vendors and cheep liquor, these wares could be much more lethal. As far as the eye could see were smiths, producing weapons ranging from kunai to katanas. Herbalists stocked with compounds that made her nose water from nearly a hundred feet away jostled with seal masters offering everything from flash bombs to super powered explosive tags. While some of it was clearly flash designed to catch the naive or unskilled, it was plain to see that there was enough packaged death here to start another ninja war. Even in Konoha, one of the five great villages and among the strongest holders of the title did not openly boast such a variety of goodies out in the open.

Seeing both her charges gaping in their own ways, Hana was quick to knock them out of it. There was no way she was going to be marked as a newbie, and thus deal with the associated stigma and markups. "Both of you come back to earth already. I know it looks impressive, but this is really nothing special." Feeling their disbelieving gazes, the Kunoichi rolled her eyes in exasperation. Did the Academy teach nothing relevant anymore? "A lot of the larger settlements have enclaves like this. They mostly cater to ninja on long term missions, but a few missing ninja utilize them as well. However, all the major and minor villages agreed to very strict rules of neutrality when dealing with them because they're useful to everybody. Uchiha Itachi himself could walk down the road right now and we couldn't even glare at one another." Of course that was an over simplification, but at least it knocked those stupid shocked looks off their faces.

Leading them towards the nearest Apothecary that smelled well stocked, the Inuzuka continued. "Now, our goals are fairly simple. We need a proper refit of all basic weapons we may need for an undetermined amount of time. That includes kunai, shuriken, ninja wire, sealing materials for tags and various medicines for food and blood pills. This is not the time to go nuts, just cover our basic needs. After months on the road, all available supplies have run low and we need more badly. This is also a great time to look for new basic gear for the two of you. Honestly, you're both a little on the ratty side." Given the fact that most of their outfits had been burned as unsalvageable a few days ago, that was putting it mildly.

Grumbling, the blonde Chunin pouted. "Man, why do we have to do more clothes shopping? I mean, I know just the place back in Konoha to pick up more stuff. They always have what I'm looking for and never seem to run out! In fact, they actually like it when I show up!" Frowning, Hana wondered if she could arrange a stop at this store when they returned to the village. Either they had the worst fashion sense in the world and needed to learn about the basic color wheel, or the owners thought they should make Naruto a brighter target. Either way, she might just have to intervene so they did not end up getting the brat killed later, and undoing all Tsunade-sama's hard work.

Nevertheless, it would not do to lose another chance to teach the green kids a lesson. "Actually, good fitting ninja wear is vital for your success in the field. Properly made gear is often more insulated, contains hidden armor, and has all sorts of pouches for special supplies. Besides, if you two tried to train in civilian wear, you'd have to get new clothes every day. Since your old outfits lasted months under that level of wear and tear, I think the difference speaks for itself." Giving the blonde a deliberate leer, the Inuzuka grinned. "Plus, since you've been training, you're actually beginning to grow up a bit. You'd need to go shopping just to have something that fits correctly."

Seeing an expression she recognized from Kiba after a particularly productive day of her own shopping back home, Hana decided to nip the tantrum in the butt. Leaning over, she whispered into the rapidly paling Jinchuuriki's ear, "Of course, if you get too annoying about it, I might just insist on a more complete shopping experience. You see, Shizune told me about this interesting little ability you seem to have to do a full gender change, and seemed to think that looking it over while we're in town would be a good idea. I would hate to think that you would be uncomfortable during the exam, so maybe some more appropriate clothes are in order? I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard between Hinata-chan and myself to get you a properly fitting set of underwear for the experience." Seeing the blonde bolt ahead towards the stands, Hana suppressed a laughing fit. For such a notorious prankster, the kid sure had trouble taking what he liked to dish out. Placing a comforting hand on Hinata's shoulder, she followed the dust trail, her laughing canine companion hot on her heels.

* * *

Firmly stationed before the largest available weapons shop, Naruto broke out into an evil grin. While he was getting used to his current weapons such as Toki's Naginata's or Enma's Bo Staff, the rows upon rows of blades on display were just so shiny and new! Back in Konoha, it was not uncommon for some of the gear shops to refuse him service or overcharge horribly. While that had not been an issue since the recent invasion, the blonde still had many years of memories scouring training fields for useable scrap while his peers laughed at his misfortune. It also did not do his aim any favors, hence his preference for close combat with Kunai. But now he was in front of a dealer that had never heard of him, with a scroll filled to the brim with funds to use as he wanted. Heck, compared to what he was used to, the prices were even reasonable!

He could not even decide where to start! There were dozens of kunai of every quality some barely better than scraps while others were a solid black that seemed to shine in the store lighting. Stacks of shuriken lined the counter, ranked by both craftsmanship and material. Spools of ninja wire framed tag listings across the ceiling and back wall, offering any number of possible sealing matrixes for the right price. Yet, when he saw the display case of specialty weaponry, covering all sorts of katanas, tantos, chains and special material that could channel elemental chakra, the blonde had to stop from drooling. There was enough stuff to equip an army, let alone a small group of six. But the kid in him was crying out for the shinnies like they were ramen!

The blonde almost found himself scooping up the entire lot before Hana knocked his hands away. Her glare was enough to stop him from making a bigger scene, but damn it if he was not tempted. Instead, Naruto settled for his best pout. Seeing the Inuzuka suppress a smile, he chalked it up as a win. At least until she decided to put a damper on his shopping spree. "Now, Naruto, if we're going to be paying the premium then let's stick to basics. After all, given what you've got on your plate, I don't think learning a dozen weapons from scratch without an instructor is such a great idea." Naruto almost cried out that these were the best equipment prices he had ever seen, but held his tongue. There was no way he wanted to start a lynching when he got back home, just over some ignorance that was clearing up anyways.

Turning to the counter, the older Chunin called for the store owner's attention. "All right sir, you should know the rules and the trade. Shall we begin?" Much to Naruto's surprise, the man nodded, but refused to lift his head an inch once Hana flashed her headband. "Very well then, let's see if you can keep up. I want three hundred D-ranked, one hundred C-ranked, and fifty B-ranked Kunai. Throw in seventy B-ranked Shuriken with thirty meters of A-ranked wire and three hundred A-ranked senbon. Let's also have about ten A-ranked sealing scrolls, one hundred and twenty pieces of shaped parchment and fifty ink stones with another fifty bottles of premade ink. I'll pack myself." Much to his shock, Hana drew out a scroll from her person, only to seal each and every purchase as they were brought to the counter. She only paused once to call the man out for screwing up the number of B-ranked Kunai, but all in all, the entire process took barely twenty minutes. Then, before he could start his own listing, Hana had them bundled out of the shop and down the street before he could blink!

Luckily for his patience, Hana seemed used to explaining stuff in a simple if straightforward manner. Then the blonde remembered that her younger brother was Kiba and focused more on the information. "Only the stupid or lazy rely upon a store to stock their tags or seals. What if an enemy managed to infiltrate the shop and damage the sealing matrix of one or all your supplies? You could attempt to take out an enemy, only to have your exploding tag be a dud. Or maybe you attempt to unseal some medical supplies, only to discover that your sealing scroll is incomplete through idiocy or design. Faulty seals can be a disaster in the field, and its considered your own responsibility to deal with the mess."

Thinking it over, Naruto admitted that she had a point. He had never really be able to afford anything besides a few basic smoke tags back in the Academy, and most of those went into his pranks. While he had never had one of those outright fail, the blonde could recall a couple of instances where the effect was delayed upwards of five minutes. He had once thought to make his own to save money, but every seal he had attempted from scrolls or hints from his instructors always seemed to do nothing or blow up in his face. Since he was in one piece, he was fairly sure that no one attempted to kill him with false information, but it did effectively demonstrate how a mistake could make things difficult in the long run. That did not mean he had to like it.

Feeling a familiar hair rustle that he had begun to associate with the Kunoichi, he looked up into Hana's smiling face. "Oh cheer up Naruto, the situation is not that bad. All Konoha Chunin and above are expected to be able to produce basic storage seals and exploding tags within their first year of achieving the rank. We'll get some calligraphy supplies at the fair later, and I'll start showing you two the basics. If I'm impressed, I might even show you how to make a smoke tag later. It's one of my personal favorites." Thinking of all the chaos he could cause with smoke, the Infinite Darkness Technique and his Shadow Clones, the young ninja had to stop from drooling once again.

Still, there was one thing bothering him. "I still don't understand why your got so many D-rank and C-rank kunai. They're better than I'm used to, but compared to scrounging from the training fields that's not saying much. B-rank and A-ranked really don't cost that much more, and are way more effective. So why do we have nearly four hundred weapons that are useless in a real combat situation?" Sure, he did not plan on using them that much, but after all of that hard work mastering the weapon cloning techniques, using inferior tools seemed like such a waste.

Snorting, Hana poked his nose. "From what I've heard and seen, both you and Hinata rely too much on Taijutsu and Ninjutsu to use kunai and shuriken for anything other than a distraction. At the moment, all you're going to use them for is practice, and D-rank quality is fine for that." Smirking, the Kunoichi rolled her eyes. "Given the fact that you are mastering the Shadow Clone Kunai and Shadow Clone Shuriken techniques, even a single C-ranked kunai could become a wall of death. With the way you're going on, I wouldn't be surprised if Enma-sama gets jealous when he hears about this." Thinking about the summons probable reaction to being compared to common kunai, Naruto gulped in terror. For an old monkey than guy could be scary!

"Besides, the only people who use disposable A-ranked weaponry are those who master the things to the extreme. That's why we got the A-ranked senbon for Shizune who relies upon them completely as her only offensive weapon." Hearing that, the blonde allowed himself to slump in defeat. Ah well, it was not like he needed enough tools to wipe out a small village. That did not mean it would not be cool to have on hand. "Now that that's over, let's go get some proper outfits for the two of you. Oh this is going to be so much fun!" Hearing the unusual girlish squeal from Hana, the blonde knew he should have grabbed at least one exploding tag before they left the store. Now he had no way of escaping the hell known as clothes shopping.

* * *

Idly glancing over the selection before her, Hinata blushed at some of the mumbled curses coming from the back of the store. Naruto had spent nearly an hour checking the racks, taking the lack of orange selection as a personal insult. When he had asked her to look around the store with her Byakugan, she had to gently remind the blonde that the doujutsu did not, in fact, pick up colors with any degree of dependability. Thus, the person who had complained the loudest about their clothing excursion became the pickiest when dealing with the search. Still, Hinata was glad for his distraction. She had already determined that nothing available in the store was her size, so this was an excellent time to take advantage of Hana's greater experience.

She needed some advice and the elder Kunoichi was the best source currently available. Hinata might have normally gone to either Shizune-sempai or Tsunade-sensei, but both were so busy with Isaribi-chan that she did not want to be a bother. Besides, if she was honest with herself, both were a little too involved with the subject of her concern to give an objective opinion. Namely, she was a little out of her depth with the date with Naruto-kun, and needed some feedback on their potential plans. Shizune-sempai and Tsunade-sensei both cared deeply for Naruto-kun, and she could not be happier for their feelings. However, that meant both were a bit too close to fully understand some of the issues she had been mulling over. Hana on the other hand, would be much more objective given her limited exposure to the blonde. All in all, the young girl could not think of anyone else who would give it to her straight in such a situation.

Gathering her courage with surprising speed Hinata cleared her throat, getting the Inuzuka's attention. Seeing the older woman's gaze turn upon her, the Hyuga suddenly felt another bout of shyness almost overcome her. However, this was too important to allow nerves to interfere. "I'm sorry to bother you Hana, but I need some advice. Is there any chance that you could give me some tips on making my date go well? I want everything to be perfect." If they had suddenly traveled a mere three months into the past, Hinata would have been shocked that the request did not leave her a stuttering wreck. But, despite forcing it out as quickly as possible, the young Kunoichi did not let the Hinata of yesterday stop her desires of today. At least, that is what she told herself fighting off a sudden blush.

At first, Hana did not seem to react at all. As the silence stretched on, Hinata began to feel her confidence shaking, wondering if she had been too quiet or presumptuous in her request. But then the Inuzuka began to grin, and the younger Kunoichi was suddenly reminded of Kiba in a playful mood. Gulping, she tried to edge away, only for a larger and stronger hand to grab her shoulders. It appeared that, ready or not, she was about to get her wish. Perhaps she should have approached Shizune-sempai after all?

"So little Hinata-chan is nervous about her date? Now that's just too cute!" Eyes widening at the older Kunoichi's volume, the younger girl attempted to flee, only to be hugged harder into the Inuzuka's side. "Just relax kid, I'm only teasing. Besides, Naruto is so focused in his quest for orange that an explosive tag could go off and he wouldn't care." Noting that the stream of curses seemed to be continuing without pause farther up the isles, Hinata had to admit the older Kunoichi knew what she was talking about.

"Still, I have to wonder what sort of advice you could possibly need. Once you became a ninja of Konoha, both you and Naruto were considered Adults. So in reality, the only limits upon your relationship are the ones you decide upon together." Thinking about what that statement could mean, Hinata felt the strongest blush she had managed in months turning her into a tomato. Of course, Hana did not stop there. "While I'm sure that Tsunade-sama's lessons on anatomy might come in handy, I do have a trick or two you might find useful. With the right level of flexibility and imagination, you'd be surprised what is possible." That leading statement caused Hinata to picture herself, Naruto, chocolate ice cream and some very carefully applied sprinkles. Even with Hana's knowing smirk, it was all she could do to remain conscious!

Trying to her heart beat under control, Hinata forced herself to meet Hana's amused gaze. There was no way she could allow herself to faint now. That could lead to even worse teasing! "Hana, it's not like that! It's just that I've never been on a proper date before, and I'm sure that Naruto hasn't either. I care too much about him to do something that could cause trouble between us! Besides, adults or no, we are way too young for that!" Glancing around in concern, Hinata sighed that Naruto's swearing while in a different location than before, was still far out of normal hearing range. While most would classify her little tirade as a harsh whisper, Hinata had almost felt like she was yelling. Given how shocked the Inuzuka looked, apparently she was not the only one surprised.

Smile relaxing, Hana's grip shifted to a slightly comforting hug. "From what I've heard and seen, all you need to do is try to enjoy spending some time together. I mean, that's all you did in Sea Country as far as I know, and that went alright didn't it?" Thinking back to the pleasant outing that led to the discovery of Isaribi-chan, Hinata nodded slowly. Honestly though, she just thought of that as a chance to hang out and enjoy a little break. "You know, dates are just chances for people to spend time together. Sure they can be fancy and expensive, and you should hope for that on special occasions. But the important thing is to enjoy spending time with one you care for. Just relax and do what you've been doing and I think you'll find that everything will be alright." Feeling a lot better, Hinata was caught off guard by the follow up tease. "Of course, if you're worried about his attention wandering, then you can always flash some skin."

Hinata was still blushing brightly as Naruto finally broke into the conversation. "Sorry about taking so long, but their choices suck here. At least this stuff looks kind of bad ass, but I'm not sure there's really enough Orange. What do you two think?" Looking up, the young girl fought back a shudder while licking her lips. Suddenly, her earlier vision returned with chocolate sauce and a cherry on top.

The blonde had apparently decided that if there was enough orange available, black would always work in a pinch. He had chosen a long black coat that framed his widening shoulders. Long black pants with matching black ninja sandals were complimented by a weapons pouch on each thigh and an additional kunai holster under his right knee. Under the coat was a dark orange tee shirt that almost looked two sizes too small, emphasizing the surprising amount of muscle he had picked up over the last few months. The final accessory was a thick leather belt with another set of weapons holsters and scroll loops. All in all, the infamous prankster now looked nearly as intimidating as Morino Ibiki. The only difference was that on Naruto, it looked hot as hell.

Not trusting herself to speak, Hinata nodded franticly to approve the outfit, a giggling Hana concurring. Smiling, Naruto grabbed her hand. "Thanks a lot! Let me just go pay for this and we can go get you outfitted, Hinata-chan! I'm sure you'll look awesome in whatever you find!" While she appreciated the sentiment, the young girl was honestly too distracted by the way Naruto-kun filled out his new pants to pay much attention. Any smirking by nosey Inuzuka females was firmly ignored in favor of the pleasant sight.

* * *

Leaning against a store front, Naruto sighed as Hinata entered by herself. Between his potential embarrassment at the underwear in the back and Hana's teasing comments about the joys of fishnets, the cute girl had decided to do her own clothes shopping alone. So now he was stuck outside with nothing to do but think and shift his new coat. While he liked the updated look, the blonde was a little annoyed with Hana insisting the immediate destruction of his old outfit with fire and some low quality sake. Since it was a hidden ninja supply store, the owner had been happy to supply the necessary materials and a large metal barrel for that very purpose. Still, wrecked or no, that jumpsuit had a lot of good memories attacked to it, so he could not help but sulk a little.

Of course, as he snuck a quick glance at his companion, the Chunin did realize that this was a good opportunity to ask for some advice. While he really cared deeply about Baa-chan and Shizune-chan, ever since his unsealing in Konoha Naruto had found himself more and more uncomfortable in their company. Oh, when he was studying or training nothing could shake his current focus. But sometimes those two would make little comments or jokes that, instead of laughing off, he found himself seriously considering. Given any number of factors, the blonde knew that these feelings and emotions were inappropriate, but since both medics seemed to find his reactions funny, he did not know how to address the problem. Honestly, if he did not have Hinata-chan to distract him or nearly sixteen hours of every day tied up in traveling or training Naruto knew he would be constantly as red as a tomato!

Still, while a little forward, Hana had been good company so far. She seemed to treat him a lot like a brother rather than a boy to tease, and he could honestly deal with that. Heck, after his life, anyone treating him with that amount of closeness was as precious as gold. So now that he had the opportunity, it seemed stupid to just ignore the question when an answer might just be in front of him. "Hey Hana, do you have any tips for giving Hinata-chan a great date? I don't want to screw this up." Honestly, after everything that had happened over the last few months Hinata-chan was one of the constants he could always count on. So there was no way he was going to ruin that with a crappy date!

Of course, having the Inuzuka look at him like he had suddenly sprouted tails was not what he was expecting. The slightly shocked reply tone was almost insulting. "Wait, you've been crowing for a date with that pink haired brat for years and honestly had no idea what you were going to do? Have you ever heard of putting the cart before the horse kid?" Feeling his face burn at the disbelief, his humiliation was only highlighted by the canine familiar letting out a bark of amusement. Two to one odds were just not fair!

Forcing himself to remain calm, Naruto remembered that this all for Hinata. She had saved his life a lot lately, and he owed her the best damn date possible! A little teasing was not going to stop him from achieving his goals! "Not that it's any of your business, but I was trying to get my foot in the door with Sakura-chan. Once she said yes, then I could plan out something really special! But that's not important right now. I want to make sure that Hinata-chan has a great time, and you're the only one I trust to give me good advice without teasing me to death. Baa-chan and Shizune-chan can get a little weird about stuff like this." That and he did not want any accidents the next time he went in for a physical just for the two medic's amusement.

Shaking her head, Hana sighed. "Kid, if you think that I could be out teased by Tsunade-sama, then you do not know women very well. I've been getting rises out of Kiba for years now, and you have mostly the same buttons to push. But because I like both of you kids, I'll be nice." Suddenly ruffling his hair, the Inuzuka gave him a bright grin. "As mushy as it is, you both make a very nice couple." Blushing at the contact, Naruto returned the smile with one of his own. As far as he was concerned, this sort of closeness and acknowledgement would never get old!

Leaning back, the older Kunoichi hummed, making him feel antsy. Luckily, she only took another couple of minutes to answer, keeping him from jumping up in down in frustration. "First of all, be on your best behavior. If your show you care enough to make the effort, it will count towards alot. I'm not saying you should change who you are, but keep the simple stuff like scratching yourself or burping down to a minimum. We both know that you sometimes chose inappropriate times to release such things, and they are not funny." Remembering his battle with Kiba back in the preliminaries, Naruto had the grace to blush a bit more. While not the proudest moment of his career, he had to admit it only added to his reputation as unpredictable.

Ticking off another point, Hana continued. "Next, try to be aware of what your date would like and plan to accommodate them. You've spent months with this girl, and should be more than prepared to go towards her preferredfood stalls or activities. This date is for both of you to have fun, but don't forget that Hinata deserves a littleconsideration. Since it's a festival, some fast food or ramen is only appropriate. But try to make sure that you get something that she would like as well, ok?" Remembering the shy girl's preference for sweets, the blonde nodded with determination. While he did not think that any cinnamon buns stalls would be around, he would have to make do with what was available.

Fixing him with a look, Naruto suddenly froze under a very focused killing intent. "Finally brat, I happen to like Hinata-chan. She was a good teammate to my brother and tries to do her best to protect those around her. However, while she's grown nearly as much as you, there are times that she can still be a bit on the shy side. So if you do anything that would make her uncomfortable in any way, then we might have some problems. Do you understand me?" Nodding franticly, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief when Hana returned to normal. Sure she had nothing on Orochimaru's ability to project killing intent, but damn could she be scary. Besides, the last thing he needed was to have a dog pack rip him limb from limb.

"Excuse me Hana, Naruto-kun, but does this look alright?" Hearing Hinata-chan behind him, the blonde twisted as quickly as he could. Hopefully, the girl had not overheard his questions or Hana's answers. Of course, once he actually saw what she had chosen to wear, Naruto felt a mental gear slip. Somehow, this beat watching her working out in tight black spandex while covered in mist.

The formerly shy Kunoichi had chosen a jacket, similar to Tsunade's, except shorter and in shades of dark blue. But underneath that was a deep lavender one piece that seemed to be missing a decent amount of material on top, emphasizing her personal attributes quite a bit. A pair of black leggings gave the illusion of modesty in the lower regions, stopping at mid thigh. While he could see a level of combat functionality, including a weapons pouch over her left knee and a medical pack in the small of her back, Naruto suddenly felt very possessive. Between the tightness of her outfit and the hair that now framed her face down to her neck, Hinata had transformed from a cute girl into a hot one. Honestly, it was all he could do not to faint with a nose bleed.

Blushing, she looked down while poking her fingers. Naruto realized that she had not done that in weeks, and wondered what had brought the habit back. "I think that the abdominal armor fits fairly well, and the material is flexible enough to take my fighting style. But does it look good on me? I don't know if I can pull something like this off well enough to bother." Meeting his gaze for an instant, Hinata looked away, blush intensifying by an order of magnitude.

Frowning at the lack of self confidence, Naruto could not let that stand. Even if he was feeling a little tonguetied at the moment, there was no way he could let her think that about herself. "Hinata-chan, I think you look fantastic! Honestly, I've never seen anyone as cute before!" Seeing her eyes widen with his statement, Naruto realized that every word was true. While he had been surrounded with a lot of women who anyone would find attractive, at this moment in time, no one beat Hinata in terms of cuteness. Swallowing a bit, the blonde felt his own face heat up like the sun. He was not sure what was happening, but somehow, he thought things would be ok.

"Well, since that's settled, why don't you go pay for that and we'll head back to base? I'm sure you two love birds will want to get ready for your date as soon as possible right?" Jumping at Hana's sudden comment, Naruto turned to glare at the smirking Inuzuka while Hinata seemed to teleport back into the store to pay for her purchase. But once the blushing girl returned, the Jinchuuriki let his glare soften significantly. Taking a scroll with their new weapons, Naruto followed Hana with Hinata right beside him. Feeling her presence so close, the blonde allowed the contentment to wash over him as they left the enclave. Somehow, he knew that as long as Hinata was by his side, things would be alright in the end.

* * *

Finishing the last brush stroke in her notes, Tsunade took a moment to stretch and crack her back. While she might be a brilliant medical researcher, even the Slug Sannin could not retain every element of her analysis concerning Isaribi-chan with perfect clarity. The modified medical analysis scan had allowed her to use the sterilized water as a medium for her own healing energies. Thus, for approximately twenty minutes, she was aware of each and every single ounce of tissue within the body of the young girl. Given the depth of information that had been recovered in the process, she wanted to write it down before any vital component was lost. As it was, she would need a true miracle to fix this mess.

Whatever process Amachi had developed to transform people into his personal army actually seemed to work on the genetic level. Despite her mostly human appearance, Isaribi was significantly different from any normal civilian. Between major organ clusters being repositioned to adapt to the new arrangements of muscles and bones to significant alterations to her body chemistry there was no quick fix. Without an original untainted genetic sample, the medic could not even extrapolate her original biological values. If she attempted to alter the child in any significant fashion, every attempt would be blind and potentially life threatening. Short of a series of transplants and periods of recovery, both of which would take months that they did not have and resources they lacked, the poor girl was stuck with her current issues for the foreseeable future.

That did not mean that the group lacked options. Orochimaru might be acknowledged as one of the most twisted and brilliant geniuses in the history of the Elemental Nations, but she was not the top medic for nothing! While she could not see an easy method of fixing this problem, that would not stop her from trying. She had made a promise, and there was no way her pride would let the blonde back down! Besides, if there was one thing that her life as a ninja and card player had taught the Kunoichi, it was when to cheat.

Looking up, she smiled as Shizune entered the area, having just vacated the medical examination room. While she admitted that there was still much to teach the younger brunette, Tsunade had no problems with the woman's work ethic. As distasteful as it could be, her student was a natural at medical dissections and the like. Stripping off her blood stained gloves the younger medic met her gaze. The pensive expression she displayed spoke volumes to someone who had raised the child for years. "Well either Amachi was an unrecognized genius or Orochimaru laid most of the groundwork for the transformation procedure. There were things done to those creatures that I have never even dreamed of, let alone seen before."

Frowning, Shizune ran her hand through her hair, obviously distracted. After all, the blonde Sannin had been attempting to break the girl of the habit for nearly a decade with little to no success. "While the bodies might have once been normal villagers, their current blood work barely displays ten percent of the standard composition found in an average human. The changes in the muscle structure alone should have taken nearly five years, including time for recovery. Yet, the rate of maturation and cellular regeneration appears to be less than two years old at most. Plus, there are some organic catalysts that I have never seen before with different compositions in each beast. It's almost like Amachi was trying to recreate something."

Remembering the odd impurities that she had flushed from Isaribi during the examination, Tsunade frowned. "We're going to have to examine the original materials you and Hana recovered from Amachi's lab. If he was trying to recreate a process that powerful, Orochimaru might have gotten his hands on something he didn't feel like spreading around. In fact if I didn't know any better, it almost sounds like the test subjects had either developed some sort of bloodline ability or Cursed Seals." That thought caused both women to freeze in place.

While they had gained significant insight in the mechanisms of the Cursed Seals from their examinations of the Kaguya in Bird Country, neither medic had been able to figure out the source of the odd chemical reactions that fueled the transformation. The seal structure had been carefully documented, but it seemed more concerned with directing the change then producing the involved catalyst. If she had properly analyzed the process, less than a milligram of the raw material was injected into the seal initially, and was burned out over the course of the seals evolution and implementation. However, if Amachi in his arrogance had even a drop of the substance for his own experiments and the two Kunoichi had managed to acquire it could revolutionize their efforts to deal with the Snake Sannin's best weapon!

Cracking her knuckles, Tsunade released her best deadly grin. "Once the others return, we're going to distribute and examine every single bit of equipment and data you managed to retrieve. Then, I want to do a full work up with the advanced data on Amachi's own corpse. Our first priority might be fixing Isaribi-chan, but if that idiot actually had some of the source material for the Cursed Seal, it would be a massive coup." With that thought, the blonde began to get a new idea. Isaribi wanted to just be a normal civilian again, but that was looking more and more unlikely as they progressed. However, that did not mean she could not be able to blend in again. After all, sometimes you just had to go forward no matter what the problem was.

* * *

Putting down another box, Naruto took a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. He had been rearranging materials at Baa-chan's request for the last several hours, and even his stamina needed a break. Looking around, the blonde sighed in relief at the lack of any further sealing scrolls for him to undo. Either that meant that he had finished his assigned task or the others had forgotten to give him any more to work on. Regardless of the reality, he was just glad his own involvement in this project seemed to be over for the moment. It figured that bastard Amachi would have so much crap to review.

They had barely returned from their shopping trip the previous day before Tsunade had begun to bark new orders. Hana and Shizune were to organize and provide every single bit of material they had acquired from Amachi's base and prepare it for a proper examination. Remembering the small number of sealing scrolls each had sported after their little chat with the Kiri ninja, Naruto had assumed that the task might take an hour or two. Even with as little as he knew about seals, there was no way they could have sealed too much in such tiny scrolls. Besides, from what he had seen of the place during their attack, Amachi did not seem to have all that much to take in the first place.

Unfortunately for the young Chunin, he was wrong about two things. Firstly, Shizune and Hana had only openly carried scrolls that contained other sealing scrolls, each larger and more complete than they appeared. Hana had even taken a moment to review the numerous security features of the set up with both him and Hinata while they attempted to locate everything they had taken directly from the island. Between their respective skills, experience and efficiency, both Kunoichi managed to sweep through the rooms and seal their contents with surprising ease. It was clear that neither were rookies at this sort of operation, but they did not seem interested in sharing any details.

This first problem directly tied into the second. During their mad dash into and out of the base, both Naruto and Hinata had only seen a fraction of its inner workings. In a mere thirty minutes, Hana and her hounds had managed to sniff out numerous hidden labs and research areas, filled to the brim with documents and various materials. Thus, when everything was unsealed, the largest area of their current hideout was filled wall to wall with scrolls, chemicals and medical subjects. While the gathered paperwork was a bit of a mess, everything else seemed intact, just waiting to be picked apart by the medics. After all, they were going to need every advantage they could get at this point.

The Chunin frowned at the memory of Isaribi-chan's initial diagnosis. He had seen her face when Baa-chan explained that returning her to normal would not be as simple as they hoped. While the poor girl had seemed ready for the possibility, her suppressed tears had made him feel horrible. Of course, the Godaime would not allow the idea of giving up just yet. Somewhere hidden in these piles of journals and test tubes were the keys to freeing Isaribi of her own personal hell. If he had to lift another hundred boxes to help find her cure, then he would do so! Snorting, Naruto realized that might just be a real possibility. While that bastard Amachi had not worked on much else besides adapting people into underwater warriors, he had been doing it for a while. There were years of notes to go through, and the very thought of personally getting involved with that mess gave him a headache.

Deciding that he had stood around like a moron for far too long already, the blonde decided to check up on the aforementioned patient. Isaribi-chan had hidden herself away within minutes of the scroll organizing and Naruto was beginning to get worried. He knew what it felt like to be alone and seemingly without options, and would never want a friend to deal with that without help. He was just about to enter the makeshift dorm when feminine laughter halted his movements. Smiling slightly he decided that barging in probably would not do anything significant at all. Hinata-chan apparently had the situation well in hand.

Feeling a sudden rush of memories, Naruto bit back a curse. While he welcomed the increased toughness of his Shadow Clones that came from his improved chakra control, their improved intelligence could sometimes be a major pain in the ass. The thirty clones he had sent to sort through the paperwork for Baa-chan had decided that making neat piles was all they were obligated to accomplish before dispersing themselves. Now he had to try to sort through the mess to get it in some sort of order or his Sensei would have his hide. He had no idea why Tsunade seemed so keen in having him mess around with a ton of paperwork, but the evil smile she had when giving the order was enough motivation for him to move double time!

* * *

Fidgeting in her kimono, Hinata once again hoped that everything went well that evening. After so many distractions and lost opportunities, she and Naruto-kun were finally going on a real date. Everyone had wished the two of them luck, with both Tsunade-sensei and Shizune-sempai offering the odd bit of advice. Isaribi-chan had been particularly sweet, insisting the two head out while she stayed in case the two medics needed to run further tests. Toki's gift from Bird Country fit like a glove, only requiring a little adjustment that Hana had only been too quick to offer. Now, she was stuck waiting in her room until Naruto completed his own preparations across the makeshift hall. For the fifth time since dressing nearly ten minutes ago, Hinata avoided using the Byakugan only through sheer force of will. They had both earned a good time tonight, and she refused to jinx it in any way, shape or form!

Of course, neither had minded that their recent efforts were involved with helping Isaribi-chan overcome her problems. While Naruto and his Shadow Clones were busy unsealing and sorting the contents of scrolls for examination, she had been put to work checking over the secure recovered documents for various traps and self destruct mechanisms. She still marveled at both Shizune and Hana's respective skills which had prevented the traps from activating in the first place. As it was, nearly a third of the documentation was wired to self-destruct in any number of messy and painful ways. Luckily Amachi was no Seal Master, and the Godaime was more than capable of deactivating the features once she knew of them.

Unfortunately, once all the documentation had been compiled, it was clear that the operation was way over both the younger Chunin's heads. Amachi had been manipulating his subject's genetic code in unique and irrational ways that made no sense from the bare data available. While Tsunade and Shizune might be able to make heads or tails of it, she was still struggling with advanced blood chemistry and its relation to placement within the circulatory system. Theoretically, by the time she mastered this technique she would be able to determine where blood was drawn from simply based upon its chemical composition. Naruto-kun was even farther behind, attempting to focus on practical surgical techniques until his control was sufficient for the usage of Chakra Scalpels. Neither was able to pronounce half the vocabulary needed to understand the concept, let alone assist in any notable way.

So after a good night s sleep, they had met and decided that tonight would be an excellent opportunity to have their promised date. Tsunade-sensei had agreed, but kept them busy moving all the unrelated materials around the space so that both she and Shizune could work in their absence. After finishing, they agreed to meet at the entrance of their current base at about four to have a chance to enjoy the festival before dinner. That had been about three hours ago, and after locating a public bath and getting ready, Hinata was close to hyperventilating. She had been trying to get such a date for so long the young Kunoichi knew any sort of failure would deal a massive blow. Then she had broken one of the cardinal rules and arrived early! If the blonde did not show up soon she would tear her styled hair out at the roots!

That final moment of frustration seemed to be the hidden signal her date was waiting for. "I'm sorry about keeping you waiting, Hinata-chan. The shower ran out of hot water and it took forever to get clean." Looking over her date, the young Kunoichi knew that Naruto had not come without his own preparations. Someone had made a point of removing every scrap of orange from his outfit, using mostly the supplies they had picked up in Sea Country. He sported a nice button up blue shirt with black pants and black shoes. His hair was freshly cleaned and combed, with a black cloth being used in place of his normal Konoha headband. All in all the effect was dashing, and it was all she could do not to take a peak right then and there.

Of course the Kunoichi in her noticed a few more subtle additions. Naruto had taken the time to hide several kunai, some ninja wire and a few smoke bombs in discrete but easily accessible places. But to her hidden joy, none of these locations appeared to preclude the possibility of a hug or any similar closeness. She was brought up short when she noticed a sudden tenseness in his stance. Meeting his eyes, she was shocked to realize that he had been checking her out nearly as much as she had him. While she had only a couple of back up kunai and some senbon doubling as hair pins, he seemed much more interested in how she seemed to shift with every breath. Suddenly feeling bolder, Hinata offered an arm which he was quick to grab.

"Don't worry about a thing, Hinata-chan. I promise you that this will be a date that you will never forget!" Feeling the blonde grip her shoulder comfortingly, Hinata finally relaxed as the tension eased from her very bones. No matter what they faced tonight, as long as they could do so together things would be fine. After all, she was at the side of her inspiration and more importantly one of her closest friends. Already it was an evening she would not soon forget. Allowing him to lead, Hinata exited the bunker for the much anticipated date, smile firmly in place.

* * *

Walking up the road from Crater City, a lone woman seemed completely at ease. She was not particularly notable, being of average height and a little on the round side. While her features were not classical beauty, she did possess an innate cuteness that could be rather endearing. With wide brown eyes and a nice pout, she could have easily fit in as a serving maid or waitress anywhere. Most would simply glance at her, smile a greeting, than treat her as partially sentient furniture. That was an impression that she had spent many years cultivating and was quite pleased with. After all, the best Kunoichi were seen and not heard until it was too late to do anything about it.

Her current professional name was Akane, no last name. While such titles were important to clan types and the like, she was not inclined to utilize flashy techniques to gain recognition. In fact, after her first success in a Chunin Exam, the Kunoichi had changed her training methods entirely content to protect her family and comrades from the shadows. No, Akane stuck to her first name because it implied a level of closeness to her targets. Those who she needed to like her thought the method of address a subtle form of flirting and would often reciprocate. Those that she did not want to notice her presence would simply think her an orphan or commoner. It was a delicate balancing act that the young woman had mastered long ago as an infiltration specialist and one of her greatest sources of pride.

Noticing that she appeared to be alone, the Kunoichi turned off the road, as if to find some privacy. It took her seconds to leap into the trees and mere minutes to head back to base camp. The only delay was finding an appropriately hidden location to change into her proper uniform. After all, Akane was only known by that name in The Land of Fire, the Land of Tea, and River Country. In her home village, she was recognized as one of the elite, code named Breeze. It would not do to go before her team captain in anything less than her most professional attire.

Finding her compatriots about five miles from the border of the village, she made herself known. While not the strongest on the team, she excelled in stealth, and made a point of sneaking up on her fellows to keep them on their toes. After providing all the safety codes and recognition signals, Breeze began her report. "Our contact point in the local enclave stated that three individuals matching the descriptions of Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuga Hinata and an unfamiliar Inuzuka Kunoichi were identified as reported. They came into his shop yesterday and spent over an hour there attempting to outfit Uzumaki appropriately before destroying the remnants of an orange jumpsuit. As I understand it, the Inuzuka insisted the liberal usage of chemical fire. Based upon the available evidence, at the very least he is in town. Given what we know, I would not be surprised if Tsunade of the Sannin is here as well."

Closing his eyes the captain, code named Foam, wasted no time in delivering his orders. "At the moment, all we know is that our two targets were in Crater City in approximately the last thirty six hours. Our goal is to locate one or both of the targets before they choose to relocate once again." Taking a moment, Foam nodded as if in determination. Breeze had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the juvenile behavior. If the man was not effective and cute, she might have asked for a reassignment after dealing with his quirks for so long.

"When we get to the city limits, everyone is too spilt up to cover more ground. Crater City is a large place, but blondes are not all that common. Hopefully we'll get lucky. Flow, I want you to scour the western section especially the gambling halls. Breaker will cover the eastern section, especially around the entrance to the enclave in case they need further supplies. Breeze will start at the northern section, chatting up locals and gathering information from the food vendors. I'll begin a spiraling search from the center of the City, concentrating on locations that our targets are known to frequent. If we are unable to locate any of the targets within twenty four hours, we'll have to assume they've left and reinitiate the search elsewhere." Remembering the amount of effort it had taken to track this group so far, Breeze fought back a wince. Visions of hopping from town to town on this fool s errand left her feeling extremely hopeful for a successful mission.

Before everyone could reach for their disguises, Foam held up a hand. "I want to be clear on a single point. Our goal is to blend in and make contact. We are not to threaten anyone, begin a fight we cannot finish or lash out in some stupid exchange of techniques. Shibuki-sama wants the hand of friendship extended and nothing else. So, on your pride as Taki ninja you'd better not fail! Does everyone understand?" Nodding her own agreement, Breeze began assembling another disguise before heading off to change. Her Akane cover was too useful in the Land of Fire to sacrifice, so she would have to come up with something else. Nevertheless, if she had anything to say about it, they would contact Tsunade of the Sannin or Uzumaki Naruto before the end of the day. At the very least it would encourage Shibuki-sama to continue using his newly grown backbone and that was always worth the effort in her book.

* * *

Authors Notes

Ha! Now who saw THAT coming?

I admit it was very tempting to make Tsunade's group deal with a fully active Nii Yugito, but I just could not stop myself from dragging this out. The Kumo group is so much fun to write, I have no desire to lose them just yet! Plus, since Kumo ninja and Konoha ninja don't seem to get along, sending a group into the middle of the Land of Fire on their own recourse without official backing seemed to be a very bad idea. Does anyone think that the average Konoha ninja is going to accept their story of trying to track and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Tsunade's group as an acceptable reason to violate the Land of Fire's borders?

Yeah, me neither.

That's why I sent Samui back to Kumo for further instructions back in chapter thirty four. They'll come back, but the only group I have planned to confront Tsunade in Crater City is the Taki ninja. As provisional allies of Konoha, they are much more likely to be able to move around in the Land of Fire without raising a bunch of flags. Besides, I've had them planed in conjunction with this date for months, and cannot wait to get started on it! :)

Once again, I thank everyone for their awesome reviews. As one person pointed out, yes there are over a thousand reviews currently for this story. In fact, I am very close to two thousand reviews for this story, a fact that makes me VERY happy. I have read each and every one of your responses to my work, and cannot help but feel humbled. If you have not received an adequate response to your questions, I apologize, but I do the best I can to reply. Keep in mind I might not answer because some of the requested data will be revealed shortly. Other times, it's due to the fact that the information has ALREADY been provided in the story. Either way, I hope you continue to enjoy and review, because it makes all the effort worth it.

Most of the comments seemed positive this time around, with a decent amount of love for the WAFF. That is a relief, because honestly WAFF is NOT my strong point. I have had to bounce ideas of a number of friends and allies in the fanfiction community just to get this far, and can only surmise that, since the results are to most people's liking, I am showing a reasonable amount of improvement.

Other than the reactions to the Sakura/Lee date, most of the concerns seemed centered about the Elders and Elemental Ninjutsu. While I want to save the Elder's fates as a surprise, the Elemental Ninjutsu thing has been brought up quite a bit, so I might as well explain my reasoning and plans at this point.

Tsunade has not taught them Elemental Ninjutsu mostly because they were busy with other things. Her focus has been on conditioning and control, which has taken up months of their trip so far. While it might be nice for Naruto to learn some super moves, her reasoning is that until he could actually hit an enemy with them what would be the point? Besides, they are trying to keep a low profile right now, and having him throwing around fireballs or hurricanes would attract too much attention. Will he learn the leaf splitting exercise? Of course, just not for a little while longer. With the usage of Shadow Clones, there s no giant rush to learn something he would only barely be able to harness at this point. I do have a particular tutor in mind, but that s about another arc in the future. So please be patient just a little bit more, ok?

Now then, before I give you a little preview of what's to come, I have a small request to make. Many of you have been with me since the beginning, providing support that has made this a pleasure rather than a chore. I was especially touched at the victory in June concerning **The 2010 Naruto FanFiction Awards**. However, another such opportunity has come up, and I was hoping to request your help once more.

One of my favorite authors, Sage of Seals, is currently producing a project that I enjoy quite a bit called Naruto Reads Naruto. In it, he takes the writings of other authors and transcribes it with the reactions of the cannon cast as he interprets them. It's actually very well done, and I highly recommend it. Both of the stories he has done so far are some of my all time favorites, and his commentary has left me in stitches on the floor more than once. Now, the reason that I bring this up is because he is currently running a poll on his Profile Page about other stories to add after his current selection. Much to my joy, Escape from the Hokage's Hat was added the other day. While I would love it if you all gave his work an honest chance, I would also love to be the next winner in his poll. It will not take much time, and I would be very grateful. Please show your support for this work and this author by voting, even if it's not for me. All I ask for is honesty at the polls.

Thank you for your patience, and I will now give you a taste of the next chapter.

A good date is only as pleasant as the company you keep during it. Of course, some people just don't realize who is going to tag along until it s too late! Stay tuned!


	37. Welcome Growth

No I don't own Naruto, although I don't feel as bad about that as I used to. Damn Kabuto has gotten even sneakier...

Chapter Thirty Four: Welcome Growth

Exiting the hovel that masked their current location Hana took a deep sniff the air. As expected, Tsunade-sama had decided that both Naruto and Hinata needed some back up and directed her to keep an eye on them. While Crater City was fairly safe for a couple of Chunin, the Hokage knew that their enemies could strike at any time. Both kids needed the break a date would give them, but she was unwilling to risk their safety by leaving them completely on their own. So, just as she had directed in Sea Country, Hana was tasked to track and provide adequate support if a situation developed beyond their current abilities to handle. In a worst case scenario, she was tasked with getting them out of the line of fire while summoning the Sannin herself. Given the scope of their potential enemies, Hana was nowhere near proud enough to scoff at the requirement.

In all frankness though, the Inuzuka Kunoichi would have done this even without official backing. It had taken all her considerable talents not too squeal like a child when the two headed off on their date. In all the time she had known her, Hinata had never seemed that happy before and Naruto actually looked like he had caught a clue. The longer that they worked together, the closer she felt with the two younger ninja. So of course, if her time as Kiba's older sister had taught her anything, it was that she must take any and all chances to gather blackmail on her siblings, adopted or no. So shadowing their date was an absolute necessity. Besides, she and her pack could use the exercise.

Taking another sniff to confirm the happy couple's location, Hana frowned. While Naruto was picking up the tracking techniques fairly well, they had yet to go over the counters so finding him should not be a problem. Hinata knew a couple of tricks from Kiba, but for the most part her personal body products stood out like a flare. So it was no surprise that she found the two within a couple of seconds. What confused and concerned her was the presence of four chakra signatures powerful enough to catch her attention in a city of thousands. While she knew that some of the local gangs and Yakuza hired lower level missing ninja, this was several levels beyond that.

Leaping onto the nearest roof top, she barked out commands rapidly. "We might have a problem. There is a very strong group in town and I want to know if they could be a threat. Everyone is to back me up and confirm the level of power we are dealing with." Hearing the whines of agreement from all three ninja dogs, Hana closed her eyes for better concentration. Channeling chakra to her nose, the young Inuzuka was almost overwhelmed by the numerous scents emanating from the far reaches of the settlement. Forcing herself to focus, she attempted to locate the powers thatshe noticed earlier. It only took a minute or two, and her worst fears were confirmed by all three of her companions. They could have a serious problem.

All four scents belonged to ninja that were at least high Chunin to low Jonin in strength. They were suppressing their chakra and moving in a fairly standard search pattern. More concerning was the fact that no one in the group appeared to be from Konoha. While she would admit to not knowing every single ninja in their forces, certain things within the village marked each of its inhabitants to her keen nose. The lack of those signals meant that they had a foreign ninja search party in the middle of a settlement deep within the Land of Fire. In all honesty, the only thing in Crater City that could attract that amount of interest was Tsunade-sama and her entourage. She could hope otherwise, but something told the Kunoichi that there was no way they could be that lucky.

While the smart thing to do would involve grabbing the kids and high tailing it back to the hideout, Hana was hesitant. At the moment, all she had was conjecture that the unknown ninja were here for them. If they were not, then moving to openly grab the two younger Chunin would only ruin their date and draw unwanted attention. If they were, none of them were going away. Blonde hair was unusual enough that the pursuers could confirm their presence with minimal effort. Therefore her first order of business then was to protect Naruto and Hinata while preserving their date. She would observe the foreign ninja if they attempted to make contact, and then revise her strategy as needed.

Reaching into a pouch, the Inuzuka Kunoichi thanked her foresight for heading back to the enclave the previous evening. She had certain clan secrets that could not be revealed, and the specialty recipe for the Inuzuka Food Pills was one of them. Without any of the others there, she had been able to purchase enough materials and dummy substitute to replenish her own dwindling supply. Tossing pills to each of her partners, she activated the technique. "Juujin Bunshin!" With that, one Hana had become four.

Turning to her now human partners, Hana gave her orders as firmly as possible. Her triplets were capable, but somewhat mischievous at times. She did not want them doing anything too embarrassing while wearing her face. "You three are to split up and track the three weaker scents while I keep a nose on the leader. If they come anywhere close to Naruto-kun or Hinata-chan, you are to stop them as quietly as possible. Do nothing to give you away or attack them directly unless there is a clear and immediate danger to our charges. Most importantly, you must conserve your chakra for as long as possible. A human can do a lot more in this sort of situation than a dog. Now go and pick your targets!" Saluting, the triplets split off to track their prey. Taking another whiff of her charges and the unknown leader, Hana leapt into motion. There was no way she would allow anyone to threaten her two friends!

* * *

Looking over the different shops and stalls, Naruto was struck by a wave of nostalgia. He had first come to Crater City with the old pervert in search of Tsunade to help heal Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei and Lee. While she had been long gone before they had arrived, Jiraiya had given him a chance to just relax and enjoy the festival. Of course, he still got annoyed remembering the old man fleecing him of most of his savings to go chat up some hostesses, but it was simply the kind of behavior he had come to expect of the Toad Sannin. The most important moment of that stop though, had been the demonstration of the Rasengan, his strongest close range technique. As annoying as the pervert could be, Naruto would not be alive today without learning the Yondaime's special move. For that he would always be grateful, no matter how much the two of them could fight.

Still when he had thought back on it, the blonde was surprised to discover he had actually enjoyed the festival which was a personal first. Despite the lack of funds or direction, the excitement in the air and colorful banners everywhere had actually cheered him up quite a bit. While there were events like this back in Konoha, he had never really enjoyed them all that much. Most of the vendors would refuse him service outright, accusing him of damaging their reputations and businesses while drunken idiots would laugh from the sidelines. Those that would sell him something always chose the lowest quality item possible, be it food or toys for outrageous prices. Honestly, after his seventh birthday, he could no longer justify going to them alone anymore.

However, now things were different. He had tons of cash, a cute girl by his side and hundreds of sales people who had no idea about the dumb old fox. Instead of killing time during a mission, he could finally relax after months of effort. This festival was a chance to spend time with one of his precious people, and he was thrilled to have such an opportunity. He could finally be a part of the excitement instead of looking on from the outside. That alone was more than enough for him to jump into this date full steam!

There was just one minor complication. His sum total of positive experiences at a festival consisted of wandering around for a couple of hours, buying a ceramic mask and eating some junk food. But now that he was here with Hinata-chan, what was he supposed to do for fun? He had never played any festival games, did not know enough about them to know good attractions from bad and only had his sense of smell to find food. He had every intention of making this a fun date, but it was a little difficult to manage when he practically no experience. Still, looking down at Hinata-chan who still had not released his arm, Naruto firmed his resolve. There was no way today would be anything less than perfect, if he had anything to say about it.

Blinking, the blonde suddenly remembered Hana's advice. Smiling, he turned to his date. "Hinata-chan, is there anything that you want to do first? I haven't been to a lot of festivals before, and if you've got any preferences I don't mind letting you take the lead." Now he would be able to make the nice girl happy and catch a clue about how to enjoy the day. All in all, it was a perfect plan!

Much to his surprise, instead of providing a list of activities Hinata blushed and looked down. His surprise turned to regret when Hinata answered his question. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I've never been to a festival before. Father always viewed them as a security risk at worst and a frivolous waste of time at best. I wanted to go, but my family always acted like it was beneath them so no one would accompany me. I'm sorry I can't be of more help." Feeling her tense in despair, the blonde was quick to squeeze her hand. He had never really thought about it before, but hearing about how powerful the Hyuga clan was, Naruto had always assumed that they were able to do practically whatever they wanted. Since he had never really paid that much attention to other children at the few he went to, mostly to avoid seeing the happy families involved, he had never realized that she had never been there. Now it was even more important that today go well!

Taking a deep breath, Naruto decided that since his first plan failed, the old fall back was called for. He was going to try his best, and deal with whatever consequences resulted. After all, it usually worked for him in the past, right? "Alright, then we'll just wander around and do anything we like. Today I'm just Naruto and you're just Hinata. We don't have anyone to tell us how to act, so let's make the most of it. How does that sound?" Seeing Hinata smile in response left him feeling all light and warm. Of course, the fact that she snuggled closer into his arm made his face flush like a tomato. Despite months of working together, it was sometimes easy to forget Hinata was very well developed for a thirteen year old. But the close contact brought that back into focus with a starling amount of speed. Wrapped up in the warm and pleasant sensations, the blonde decided to just walk and see what lay down the road. A little adventure was just what the medic ordered!

* * *

Glancing around the corner, Flow could not believe his luck. He had barely started his search an hour ago before a flash of blonde had caught his attention. Knowing it was a slim lead, the Taki ninja had nonetheless moved into position to check the subject out. So far he had seen nearly six blonde boys and two blonde women, all of which were clearly civilians from both build and bearing. Yet he had no sooner crossed the street before fate seemed to smile upon him. Walking without a care in the world was the secondary target Uzumaki Naruto, with a cute girl on his arm. The professional in him wanted to slap his face in disgust. Most of the freaking continent was looking for this boy and his master and here he was in the open on a date! Even if he could admit to himself they made a cute couple that was no excuse for ignoring security concerns! Just how soft were these Konoha ninja to allow this?

Forcing himself to calm down, the Taki ninja decided to follow the two. Of course, once he realized the girl was Hyuga Hinata, Tsunade's third named apprentice, the elite decided to take things slowly. While he was sure his disguise could pass a basic once over, nothing in his arsenal could block the Byakugan from recognizing the level of development in his chakra coils. Luckily, both teens seemed more interested in each other than their surroundings. Either the two Konoha ninja were simply too enamored with one another to maintain their vigilance or both were confident they could handle any major problems. Knowing who their Sensei was, Flow could not dismiss either possibility.

Keeping his pace casual, Flow discovered a small flaw in their plan. Originally, if any team member was able to locate a target, they would simply move in while flaring their chakra. Then, when the four reunited around the target, Foam would present his scroll and they could wait for a response. However, the addition of a Hyuga derailed those plans. No matter how besotted the girl was at the moment, once he flared his chakra her Byakugan would be sure to notice. With his gear stored out of sight under a civilian disguise, Flow knew his effectiveness was cut by half. Therefore there was no way to force the two to listen that would not result in undermining their mission. All he could do now was keep the two in sight and hope that they crossed paths with another member of his team eventually. Resigning himself to observing two love struck teenagers for a few hours, the Taki ninja fell into his preferredtracking pattern.

Since their information on the two was incomplete, Flow decided that this was an excellent chance to gather more data. While he was out of ear shot, he knew that the choices the two made during their little excursion could provide useful insight into their personalities. After all, some serious rumors of emotional and limited physical abuse were sailing around about the blonde ninja before him. Having a chance to confirm or deny those facts might be vital to developing Uzumaki's profile. In addition, almost nothing about the Hyuga was known that would explain her own elevation to Tsunade's apprentice. As one of their traveling companions, her input could help influence their mission and must be taken into account. His observations about both teens could answer any number of questions flying around even if they brought about many more.

Twenty minutes into his surveillance, Flow was beginning to wonder what kids did for fun in Konoha. Both kids were acting like they had never gone to a festival before. Some of the signals seemed to indicate that they were simply enjoying their date, but there was freshness in their gaze that was very unusual for their ages. Narrowing his eyes, the Taki elite began to wonder if all was well with the Hyuga clan. From the information he had on the blonde, such a reaction made sense, but Hyuga Hinata was still acknowledged as the clan heir. Perhaps Tsunade was simply picking up strays and using the apprenticeships as a shield? Such actions might speak highly of her as a healer, but did not present the best picture of a leader of ninja. Unless there was a secondary agenda, this whole exercise simply appeared to be personal.

Seeing that the two love birds were about to head into the entertainment section of the festival, he began to shift. While the crowd was helpful in protecting his actions, the Taki elite refused to take any chances. So every motion had to appear as natural as possible without giving away his intent. Of course, so great was his focus that when a woman suddenly backed into him, Flow was caught completely off guard. Tensing from the unexpected contact, his right hand happened to find a surprising amount of purchase. That was when things went to hell.

Suddenly there was a feminine shriek in his ear followed by a powerful smack to his cheek. Dazed from the scream and attack, Flow had a brief impression of bright cloth before he knocked over a table. Shaking his head to remove the ringing, the ninja was just about to relocate his targets before an unknown voice broke through his confusion. "Now why did you have to go and do that? I was finally about to win and you go and upset the Go board. I think this rube owes us a round of drinks, don't you boys? That is, after we demonstrate to him why he should be more careful around the ladies." Hearing a number of chuckles, he turned around only to almost curse. His stumble had managed to knock over a playing board right in the middle of a group of thugs. Seeing the tattoos and particular gang marks, Flow just knew that he had run into the local Yakuza.

While there were no ninja before him, Flow knew that his hands were tied. If he tried to break cover now, any action he took to contact the target would be tainted. He had no choice but to lose his mark as the thugs before him decided to move into a side alley to chat about their drinks. To maintain his cover, he needed to allow them, complete with a scared look upon his face. Of course, once they were out sight, he had no problem releasing a little aggression. Everyone listening would later be shocked to discover each and every local Yakuza who entered that alleyway had at least three broken bones while their target was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Watching Naruto curse as he again failed to catch a gold fish, Hinata giggled at his expression. When they had entered the festival area devoted primarily to games, both had been out of their depths. She had never even seen some of the options before while Naruto had been rejected from the stands back in Konoha before he could even try to play. But using that determination that she loved so much about him, the blonde had simply stated that, since they had no idea what they were doing, both would try everything available. That way, the next time they went to a festival, they could know where to start having fun right off the bat. Nervous about making a fool of herself, but desperate to make today special, the girl had readily agreed.

Making an effort to blend in, both had decided that there would be no demonstration of their ninja skills. Neither would utilize chakra or weapon throwing stances to make things easier, and her Byakugan would remain deactivated throughout. Yet, despite the increased difficulty both were having a blast. There was just something so exciting about being able to win a simple prize without the fate of her and her comrades' lives in the balance. They went from stall to stall, playing at least two rounds a game to get a feel for it. Even with their artificially limited skill sets, Naruto had been forced to buy a carrying bag for all the little prizes the two had won either intentionally or by accident. Sealing them would have broken cover and honestly having the blonde save so many mementos of their first date left her feeling flushing in joy.

However, after dozens of different challenges, they had finally found one that was driving the blonde up a wall. A stall near the end of the venue had numerous goldfish that competitors were expected to catch. The trick was that the only thing that could be used to trap the fish was a paper net that could easily break. From what she observed, it required patience and careful concentration, abilities that even now Naruto was still working on. Twenty minutes and nearly fifty paper nets later, he was still unable to catch a single fish. While Hinata had never played the game before, from what she had observed from Naruto's failures and other players successes, the young Kunoichi thought she had an idea as to how to win. So she screwed up her courage, and decided to lend a helping hand.

"Naruto, can I try please?" Seeing his face relax into a smile at her tone, Hinata had to fight back the urge to squeak. He was so cute when he smiled! Taking a net, she forced herself to focus upon the tank in front of her. "I think that the reason you're having so much trouble is that you use too much force too quickly. Pushing the net through the water damages it, and makes catching the fish nearly impossible." Seeing she had his undividedattention, Hinata simply smiled. After spending so many years wanting the blonde's acknowledgement, she would never get tired of the attention.

Taking a deep and calming breath, while mentally smiling at the notable increase in Naruto's attention, the girl picked a target. Leaning over the tank, she positioned the net over a larger, slow moving fish. "First, you need to concentrate on the single fish. There are a lot of fish, but we don't need to empty the tank. Then, we simply stay still, so that the fish can get used to our presence." Seeing the blonde nod absently, still focused upon her, Hinata almost broke out into a blush. This much attention from her crush was almost too much to bear.

Fighting to remain in control, the Kunoichi stayed silent as the fish became used to her proximity. The waiting seemed to take forever, but she was used to being patient. Seeing the fish look away, Hinata moved, flipping the target out of the tank and into a bag quickly filled with water. Smiling, she turned to Naruto. "See, did you see what I did? All you need is to be careful, patient, and catching the fish is a snap!" It was childish and silly, but for some reason that simple act seemed like an amazing accomplishment. Honestly, it was all she could do not to burst out laughing!

Seeing that the blonde had apparently zoned out, Hinata cleared her throat loudly. Shaking his head, Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, but I kind of missed some of your explanation, Hinata-chan. It's just that you were more interesting to watch. When you are around water like that it's almost as if you become brighter, or something. For a minute there, I thought I was watching a water sprite!" All in all, the young Hyuga had thought the months of time working closely together had prepared her to deal with anything Uzumaki Naruto could throw at her. But that compliment, along with the honest tone it was delivered in, left her turning tomato red in seconds. The fact that her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly only added to her embarrassment.

Dropping his last net, Naruto offered her a hand. "Common, why don't we get a snack to tide us over? I think that we have enough toys for the moment, and I'm sure there s a lot more to do!" Still blushing, Hinata released the gold fish back into the tank and took his offered hand. After all, maintaining a fish tank while moving around was not a good idea.

Still, as the blonde led her out of the games stalls while trying to find a suitable location for a break, Hinata had to wonder. Before, she had always felt plain and ordinary, teased for being too shy or looked down upon for being too kind. No one seemed interested in seeing her as anything else besides a Kunoichi or the Hyuga failure. But now that she was able to relax her guard, Hinata found the closeness with Naruto addictive. For all his social stumbles and issues with timing, the blonde was clearly looking at her like a girl. As mortifying as that was, a part of her could not help but relish the attention. Every glance, comment and moment of closeness brought her fulfillment she could no longer go without. As her feelings grew, Hinata knew only one thing. She would rather die than give up this feeling, no matter what the cost.

* * *

Taking another bite out of his grilled squid, Breaker calmly observed the two teens. He had just exited the enclave after a fruitless search, only to nearly run over the blonde in the middle of the street. A lesser ninja would have stumbled or given themselves away, but he prided himself upon control. So the Taki elite had simply passed him, and began observing their target. He had only heard limited stories about one of their village's heroes, and he thought it was worth the time to understand the child. After all, he still wanted to track down his master, and if the kid continued to be sloppy they might just lead him to Tsunade herself.

That being said, Breaker was somewhat annoyed by the lack of attention the child seemed to be paying to his surroundings. On one level, he could somewhat understand. The blonde was an adolescent male with a pretty girl on his arm. He probably would have done the same thing at that age. But both were ninja on the run, and neither could even bother with a proper disguise. Professionally, such actions made him grind his teeth. That did not mean he minded observing the two Konoha ninja to gather more information. If they were both truly apprentices of the legendary Tsunade, understanding their quirks could become vital to the future of his village.

Given their obliviousness, Breaker was honestly surprised by his findings. The way both teens moved in response to their environments and each other spoke of a strong level of trust. When one went forward, the other would take a step back, automatically covering their blind spot. When one spoke, the other listened while moving, only countering if they had better information. In fact, as their little excursion continued, they almost appeared to be in each other's minds. The blonde would grab a door or part a curtain before the girl even glanced in the target stall's direction. In comparison, the girl would direct his attention and steer them both to events that they appeared to enjoy. At its basest level, their interaction almost appeared to be a carefully presented dance.

The Taki ninja had seen this sort of relationship before, but what somewhat confused as to why the two teens were demonstrating it. In his experience, this sort of empathy often came to exist between team mates who had worked together for years. It required an understanding of one another as people and a deep trust that could never be broken. Given the dangers of the ninja lifestyle, only the best of the best should have a chance at such bonds. Of course, when the looks between the two were taken into account, it added a new dimension to this relationship. Tsunade had truly started developing something interesting here. While the ninja in him could not approve, the world weary man honestly thought the two made a cute couple.

Seeing them making their ways towards the food stalls, Breaker bit back a sigh before following. While their method of hiding in plain sight had its moments, he had more difficulty tracking civilian children as a Genin. Unfortunately, caught up in his mental tirade, the Taki Elite was caught completely off guard by a sudden impact from behind. Turning quickly, he had an impression of red hair and an improperly hanging kimono before his assailant appeared to somehow blend into the crowd. Being the appropriately paranoid ninja that he was, Breaker wasted no time checking for wounds or poisoning. Coming up empty, he let out a sigh of relief. He must be getting paranoid in his old age.

"Excuse me, sir? If you want that dango I will have to ask you to pay." Blinking, Breaker looked up into the frowning face of a nearby vendor. He was just about to ask what the man was talking about before he felt an unfamiliar weight in his right pocket. Looking down, he was genuinely surprised to discover that he had somehow picked up an extra treat while watching his target. It was actually quite impressive seeing that he had been a minimum of thirty feet from the stand since entering the area. He had a rather bad allergy to the standard sauce, and avoided such stands like the plague.

Concerned about how the devil food somehow found itself on his person, the Taki ninja decided that he had no time for this. As galling as it was, the best action to complete the mission was to pay the man and dispose of the item as quickly as possible. Smiling to reassure the vendor he had no plans to escape with stolen goods, he reached for the comforting bulge of his wallet only to twitch in irritation. Instead of pulling out his personal cash, Breaker instead removed nearly thirty waded up scarves tied by some leather necklaces that were specialties from another set of vendors within sight. Apparently, it matched a number of unpaid, missing items from their stalls because the dango vendor was joined by the scarf owner and leather worker in short order. By now, his ninja paranoia was beginning to scream something about a set up.

However, his hands were tied. If the Taki Elite made a major scene here, it would give away his position and compromise the mission parameters. Thus, Breaker was forced to go through his emergency funds stashed throughout his clothing to pay for the stolen items. None were willing to simply take the items back, since whoever had taken them in the first place rather enjoyed damaging them enough to make that impossible. All in all, the entire process took thirty minutes and half his back up funds. By the time everything had been settled, his target was long gone.

* * *

Enjoying the smell of his takoyaki, Naruto made a point of giving Hinata her tea before digging in. While they had both worked up an appetite from all the games and attractions so far, he was not ready to bring the date to a close. So, in a stroke of sheer brilliance, he suggested they sit down and grab a snack before continuing to enjoy the evening. The blonde figured that they would spend a few more hours walking that off before heading to dinner. Sure he had no idea what to do during those hours, but that was less of a concern than it should have been. In his mind, all that mattered was that the time be spent with one of his favorite precious people.

It was still novel spending time with a girl and enjoying it. Both he and Hinata had seen and done so much over the last few months, that just the idea of relaxation seemed somewhat novel. Yet when it was with Hinata-chan, someone who had proven themselves a true and able comrade, he had no regrets. Even if the evening out was not making him a stronger ninja or closer to the Hokage position it was in no way useless. Tonight made him feel like a normal, happy teenager and Naruto decided that preserving that was probably a good idea. After all, he had seen what the path of the emo had done to others, and wanted no part of that!

Looking over at his companion happily sip her tea, Naruto suddenly felt a stab of shame. Ever since he had spotted the food stand, every thought had been about how he was enjoying the date. While he had done his best to follow all of Hana's suggestions, the blonde had lost sight of making sure that Hinata was having just as much fun. After all, she had been mostly silent for a bit, and might be secretly getting bored. Well there was no way he could allow that to continue! "Hinata-chan, are you having a good time? If you're getting tired we could call it an early night." While he would hate wrapping up the date early, Naruto knew that he had no right to make his friend miserable just so he could goof off. She deserved better than that!

Blinking, Hinata gave a cute, little smile and patted his leg. "Oh Naruto-kun, this date is everything I could ever want. I have never been able to relax to such a degree before, and can't thank you enough." Turning a light pink, the young girl looked into her tea before continuing. "I really hope that we can do this again. I hadn't realized that things had become so stressful until we got a chance to take a small break." Confused by the depth of longing in her voice, Naruto returned the gesture, noticing that her face seemed to light up even more at the simple contact.

However, his hesitation must have shown in his actions, because the Kunoichi met his gaze sharply. "Naruto-kun, I really am enjoying myself. All my life I have been observed and judged by others. As heiress of the Hyuga clan, my family and other members of Konoha expected so much of me. I had to eat, talk, act and fight as was expected of someone of my standing. Yet, no matter what I did or tried it never seemed to be good enough for others, or myself. I think that if anyone would understand such feelings, it would be you." Biting his lip, Naruto slowly nodded. He had worked so hard, seeking acknowledgement, only to be denied without reason for years. Even though he understood now, that did not make all that pain and lost time go away.

Sniffing, Hinata's Byakugan began to be covered with a film of tears. "But now I'm here with you and no one is going to judge me. For the first time in years, I don't have to be worried about being a powerful ninja, a strong heiress or any of that. I would not trade this date for all the gold in the capitol." Choking up a bit himself, Naruto put down his serving tray to pull the girl into a half hug. While short, the conversation stirred emotions in him that had been buried for years. The dream of Hokage had spurred him on for quite some time. First, the seeds had been planted from observing the people of Konoha worship the Sandaime. The blonde had so desperately wanted someone to recognize him that he had applied for the graduation tests in the Academy far before he was ready. Iruka's commentary in the Academy had only fueled his desires, making him want to overcome each and every obstacle in his way. While the road ahead was long and winding, Naruto would walk it as best as he could. These days, it was to protect his precious people but originally his goals had not been so selfless.

In reality, all Naruto had desired was for a kind look to pierce his darkness. Every day was filled with hatred and silent rejection. The constant negativity began to cloak him at a very young age, leaving him feeling lonely and in tears. The blonde knew he would have to fight his way out of the darkness or become consumed by it, and there was no way he would allow his tormentors to win like that. Thus he tired to be the strongest, hoping that would protect him from the pain. It was a journey filled with hardships and failure that could still torment his nightmares.

But now the young Chunin knew better. Naruto had become stronger in the pursuit of protecting those precious to him than at any other point in his life. Finding and shielding those rare people who saw him and not his burden had helped him escape the darkness, and there was no way he would ever go back! Nor did that mean he was going to be a poor date either. Taking a handkerchief Hana had slipped him earlier, he helped Hinata to her feet. "Let's get you a little cool water and a mirror and walk around for a bit. We've earned a break, so let's milk this for everything its worth." Sniffing, Hinata took the flimsy piece of cloth before grabbing his arm faster than he could blink. Still flushed from the contact, the young man squeezed her arm in comfort and started looking for a bathroom for a small break. His drink had just chosen a really bad time to need to leave the premises.

* * *

Leaving a Takoyaki stand, Breeze did her best to observe the area while mentally cursing as she went along. While she was professional enough to have no problem adapting to her current cover, the infiltration expert was very annoyed at the loss of resources the change entailed. All it had taken was a braid complete with shiny hair clip, some colored contacts, and a slight change in her makeup, and Ami was born. Regrettably, Ami was traveling alone on vacation, and could not afford to be too nosy. While a lot of vendors did not mind gossip, they saw no reason to lose business time chatting with someone they probably would never see again. So any sort of information the Kunoichi acquired took nearly three times longer than normal.

Now Akane on the other hand would have slipped through the festival in an hour tops. Being well established in the area, many of her friends and contacts would be happy to spend an extra minute or two, as long as she promised some juicy gossip in return. In fact, while creating the persona in the first place Breeze had gathered every bit of information she could to use as ready collateral. But if Akane was linked to the search for Tsunade and her wayward apprentices, the identity would have to be burned for security reasons. So of course Foam had decided that she would have to start from scratch rather than waste a useful resource too early.

The problem was, since she was new she was way too easily spotted. Anyone worth their salt in the major cities would be on the lookout for suspicious people, more commonly known as undercover ninja. It was practically a matter of national pride not to release secrets to enemy nations unless they worked their butts off to succeed. So she had to walk around like a civilian, react like a civilian, and listen to hours of worthless muck, trying to ferret out anything that might provide her targets location. The process was so slow going she was practically in tears!

Luckily, her investigation was bearing fruit. Many of the local stands were owned by families, and they often gossiped with one another when they thought no one was listening. Of course, with a miniscule amount of chakra sent to her ears, those chats were as good as shouted to the heavens. From what she could tell, after separating fluff from substance, many of the locals were chatting about a cute couple wandering the festival. Everyone stated that the blonde boy was absolutely adorable with his little girl friend, acting like a complete gentleman. Many thought he was leading her from place to place, since her eyes seemed a little off. From the descriptions given, it sounded like Uzumaki Naruto had matured somewhat since his foray into Taki's affairs.

Turning a corner, Breeze had to fight back the urge to unleash a victory dance. There, exiting a bathroom was her target, soon joined by the little girlfriend everyone was talking about. Taking a closer look from the corner of her eyes, the Kunoichi smirked. If only those fools knew that they had been insinuating that the heiress of the Hyuga clan was nearly blind! From the stories she had heard, the clan head would have probably had them all publicly flogged in the streets! Still, even she had to admit that the gossips had one thing right. The teens did make a rather cute couple.

Seeing that they were heading towards the Shopping District, the Taki elite began to allow the flow of the crowds to take her. Having her target being accompanied by a bearer of the Byakugan complicated things a little, but as long as she continued to act natural, Breeze did not believe that she would be spotted. All she had to do was observe the two teens for a while, and when she was rejoined by Foam they could contact the happy couple together. Perhaps she could even use it as an opportunity to get a date of her own. The squad leader was quite cute and she could use the relaxation. That happy image pushed her to move with greater speed.

Of course, that was the moment that things decided to go pear shaped. Right before Breeze was about to exit the area, a vase fell from a second story window nearly on top of her head. Acting as a Kunoichi, she would have easily been able to disregard the near miss and proceeded with all due haste. Unfortunately, as an infiltration expert Ami would not be thrown away so easily. Knowing that the various vendors she had spoken to were watching, the Taki elite started screaming at the top of her lungs. Any other reaction would have set tongue wagging before she could even cover another three city blocks.

As expected, a couple of busybodies insisted on leading her back to a stand for a glass of water. She was forced to stay still for nearly thirty minutes as a few locals waitresses ensured that the scare did no lasting damage. Keeping up the act, Breeze only left after thanking nearly a dozen different people for their kindness, drinking two cups of water and a single cup of tea, and promising on her honor to be more careful. Of course, by the time she had managed to exit the gaggle of concerned onlookers, the target couple was long gone. Images of commendations, vacations and a very thankful squad leader went up in smoke. Fighting back a real sniffle, Breeze continued on her now fruitless quest ready to tear her hair out. Sometimes, life was just not fair!

* * *

Hinata smiled, taking a deep breath of her new flower arrangement. After leaving the main festival area, the couple had ended up walking into the primary shopping center almost by accident. Unlike the stalls and wandering merchants they had been dealing with all night, this area was dominated by larger and more permanent store fronts. While neither she nor Naruto-kun really wanted to do anymore shopping at the moment, just killing time sounded wonderful. She just knew that the end of dinner would be the end of their date, and postponing that was definitely a plus in her book.

Meandering along the path, she was surprised that just browsing the windows could be so much fun. Before, if she had needed something special for her own use, Hinata would have just sent a servant to town. She did not particularly enjoy ordering others to do her chores, but it was expected as required for one of her status. The only reason she knew how to shop or bargain at all was the value those skills would provide later on. If she retained her status as heiress, then knowing how to manage the clan accounts would be of vital importance. If sent to the Branch House, then the clan would have a capable servant to handle domestic issues. All in all, it was considered a win-win situation for the mighty Hyuga clan. Now she could simply utilize those abilities to compare and contrast values of the featured window dressing.

Obviously, Naruto-kun was not that interested about the shopping itself. He was more of a man of action, and the logistics involved in getting a bargain just were not his thing. However, much to her surprise, he appeared riveted by the act of talking about shopping. It was clear that he was paying close attention to her comments, and even tried his hand at a few minor purchases using that advice. Thus she had a new bangle in her hair, a shiny silver bracelet on her wrist, and a large arrangement of flowers in her arms. She had met every attempt with a smile of thanks, pleased that he was doing so well. His enthusiastic response to those smiles left her feeling light headed.

Still, after spending nearly half an hour dominating the conversation with such a simple topic, Hinata finally decided that she was being selfish. "Naruto-kun, thank you so much for all the gifts but aren't you getting bored yet? I mean, you must be so tired of listening to me go on like this about something so silly as shopping." Sure she liked the attention, but she desperately wanted tonight to go well. Leaving the blonde asleep on the street would surely hurt her chances for another date in the near future.

Hinata was actually surprised that the energy and excitement seemed to drain right out of the teen. When his silence lasted nearly two blocks, she Began to think that he had found the question offensive. But before she could apologize, the blonde began to speak in an oddly pensive tone. "I'm not bored at all Hinata-chan. This is just the first time anyone has bothered to tell me stuff like this." Blinking, the girl turned to face Naruto-kun fully. What the heck was he talking about?

Sighing, Naruto squeezed her arm before continuing. "When I was growing up, no one was interested in showing me how to take care of myself. Old man Hokage taught me some basics, and I learned a few things from Ichiraku, but for the most part I never had anyone to show me the really simple stuff. I had to figure out how to live and survive by myself, but had no idea if I was doing right or not. In fact, if we went back to Konoha tomorrow, I wouldn't want you anywhere near my apartment because I would be embarrassed with how dirty it was. I didn't even know how bad it really was until just a few months ago. That's nearly thirteen years of being a screw up in really basic ways."

Suddenly beaming, the blonde leaned in closer, making her breath catch. "But now, hearing how you explain this stuff and showing me how it's done, I am really happy. You've been so helpful since we started working together, and today is just as important as training to me, if not more. I just hope I can learn enough so that when this is all over you won't be embarrassed by me and my screwing up. At this point, I couldn't deal with that." Sniffing at the honesty in his voice, Hinata allowed the sensation of being needed to flow over her like a calming balm.

Still, that did not mean the Kunoichi was going to let this pass! Stopping, she grabbed Naruto's arm and refused to move. When he turned, a question in his eyes, she pounced like a lion. Stabbing a finger into his chest, it took all her indignation to ignore how firm it was under her poking. "Listen to me Naruto-kun, and listen well. If I have anything to say about it, you will never have to worry about this sort of thing again! No matter what I will be there to help you, giving help whenever you need it. You are one of my precious people, and I will not allow you to be so down on yourself. Do you understand me?" Eye's suspiciously shiny, the blonde nodded his agreement. Smiling at the sense of accomplishment, Hinata began to move forward. That was when she had a small accident.

While the young girl was noted for grace and flexibility, all the jostling had pulled her kimono just a bit loose. Moving forward, she was shocked by a sudden tangle in her outfit, and began to fall. Normally, this would be no problem, but with her hands full of flowers and Naruto so close, Hinata had no real room to maneuver. Luckily the blonde was quick on the uptake and grabbed her shoulders to provide support. Unfortunately, he misjudged the distance a bit as she shifted to protect her fragile cargo and got closer than expected. Thus, Uzumaki Naruto kissed Hyuga Hinata right on the forehead, much to her shock and amazement.

They held the surprisingly intimate pose for a full three heart beats before Hinata pulled herself together. Lit up like a fire ball, the young Kunoichi stood up, adjusting her clothing while fighting off an impending faint. After being held in Naruto-kun's arms and receiving a kiss, it was all she could do to remain coherent. Blushing with equal intensity, Naruto offered out his arm once again. "Why don't we go grab a bite to eat? I'm beginning to get hungry." Not trusting herself to speak, Hinata nonetheless nodded her agreement before glomping the offered appendage. As the blonde led them towards the conclusion of their date, Hinata could not help thinking that the half smile he was now sporting was deeper than any other moment of the evening. Emboldened by his reaction, the young girl did her best to snuggle into his side. Still, her heart refused to slow down.

* * *

Sighing, Foam entered the rendezvous point annoyed with life. After spending hours flitting from place to place across the city, he had completely failed to discover the whereabouts of either Uzumaki Naruto or Tsunade of the Sannin. That did not mean that he was completely bored out of his mind. Oh no, he had to check and recheck nearly three hundred blond boys and women from ten to fifty in every store, food stand and game of chance that he could find. The only reason he refrained from the relaxing activity of beating his head into a wall was the slim hope that one of his subordinates had more luck. As some of Taki's greatest elite, complete failure was not a possibility!

Hearing an unexpected sound, the captain turned only to be confronted with the slumping form of Flow. His subordinate had discarded civilian clothing somewhere along the line, and while he appeared to be uninjured, there were still signs of combat all over his gear. Therefore, Flow's posture simply reflected his failure. Sighing, Foam decided to get things started. "While I hope that one of the others will have more luck, why don't you go over your efforts thus far? It might help me determine the next stage of our strategy." Looking down, the weaker ninja was quick to agree.

The entire debacle was outlined in all its gory detail. How, beyond all chance and reason, Flow had come across Uzumaki Naruto, only to choke upon seeing his companion was a Hyuga. His decision to observe and attempt to contact the others on the off chance he ran into a teammate, all of whom were in other parts of the city. While the information gathered was interesting, the fact that he lost the trail was several levels of annoying. Of course, the reason was enough to make the captain consider putting in for the man's demotion. "You mean to tell me that you lost the target after picking a fight with the local Yakuza? What the hell were you thinking, Flow? This is a disaster! The chances of locating either target have gone down dramatically now!"

"Don't be too hard on him sir. It sounds like Flow ran into the same sort of interference that I did." Turning, Flow raised an eyebrow at Breaker's appearance. One the positive side of things, the larger ninja did not appear to have been fighting thugs like Flow, despite the loss of his civilian disguise. On the other hand, the only time he expressed that much emotion was when a mission became completely screwed up. After all, Breaker was famous within Taki for his pride in emotional control. Now he looked like he had sucked a lemon.

Gesturing for his subordinate to continue, Foam sat back and forced himself to relax. Luckily, Breaker did not keep him waiting. "I was able to spot the happy couple myself after leaving the local enclave. However, before I could continue to track them out of the contest booths some pickpocket managed to plant evidence right in my pocket. Between paying the vendors off while trying to dispose of the extra trinkets, both kids were long gone. One odd situation could be written off as coincidence or Flows bad planning. Two situations indicate that a third party was actively working against our mission." Narrowing his eyes, Foam pondered the possibilities. As unpleasant as it sounded, Breaker's hypothesis was actually quite logical.

"Better make it three losses if we're going to be completely accurate." Forcing himself not to jump from extensive practice, Foam moved to observe the lone Kunoichi of the group. While he would admit Breeze was cute, there was nothing appealing about the look of irritation on her face. Clearly she was just as annoyed as the rest of the team. "Someone dropped a vase right in front of me on the street. I was able to watch the two for about ten minutes before the incident, and after that it took forever to get away from all the concerned locals while keeping cover. Who knows where Uzumaki and his entourage are by now?"

Pinching his nose in exasperation, Foam began to think over the reports before him. All three of his subordinates had encountered Uzumaki Naruto while out on a date of all things. While they were able to observe the two for varying degrees of time, none were able to get close without something going wrong. Looking over the assembled ninja, he asked a question. "Did anyone release killing intent or move in such a manner that they wished harm on the two?" Seeing them collectively reply in the negative, the team captain began to put things into perspective. Unfortunately it appeared that it would make things that much more difficult.

"It appears that Tsunade wasn't foolish enough to leave her students alone without a chaperone of sorts. They must be acting to protect the twofrom anyone who appears to be interested in the happy couple's little date. I don't know who the Hokage has working for her that could pull this off, but they are clearly intelligent enough to take advantage of our hesitance to break cover while in the Land of Fire." In all honesty, Foam had to give this unknown adversary some credit. It did not matter who was stronger in this confrontation. All the unknown chaperone had to do was play upon their desire to remain under the radar, and they could counter each contact attempt at will.

Kicking at the trash in the alley way, Breeze grumbled, "Well what are we supposed to do then? If we launch an attack and draw out the unknown enemy, we end up alienating the target. For all we know, it's one of their friends from Konoha gathering blackmail material for later! How the heck are we supposed to complete our mission without starting a war on allied soil?" While Foam could appreciate the fire in her eyes, he really did wish the Kunoichi would relax a bit. She was much cuter when smiling.

Thinking it over, Foam allowed himself to grin. "Why, I do believe we'll go right up to them and ask for some of their time." Seeing his compatriots look at him in shock, the team captain did not relax his grin. "It's not like we mean the kid any harm, and most of this third party's advantages appear to be based upon their surprise tactics. However, most of those rely upon our willingness to remain in character. If we make the pitch in the middle of the street, the chaperone will have no choice but to show themselves, leaving them open to attack if necessary."

Slowly matching his expression, Breeze nodded her agreement with the plan. "It makes sense if you think about it. While we would prefer to keep our interest in Tsunade's group a secret, it's not like we're the only ones. Most of the freaking continent has sent representatives to attempt negotiations or acquisition of Tsunade and her resources. Besides, if the chaperone does reveal themselves I'm sure that Uzumaki would be more than happy to listen to our proposal, out of teenaged rebellion if nothing else. No kid is that calm on a date while being observed. Two to one odds that he has no idea they're being followed by a teammate." Thinking over her logic, Foam mentally agreed.

Asking for more details of the timeline of locations involved, Foam shook his head. It appeared his hours of wandering had netted some unexpected benefits. "Well then, if our information is accurate, I think I can figure out where Uzumaki Naruto would finish off his date. So why don't we say hello?" Straightening his back, he met cracked his knuckles. "The time for subterfuge is long over. Let's take a more direct approach." In a splash of water and wind, the alley was empty once more.

* * *

Happily slurping on his ramen, Naruto mentally decided that this whole date thing was not that hard after all! He had just done his best to relax and have a good time, and everything had gone great. Oh sure there had been a few sappy parts, but in the end he had no regrets. Judging from Hinata-chan's nearly permanent smile, he might just get to do this sort of thing again! Although, a small part of the blonde whispered that the evening would have been a lot more boring without someone he cared about there to support him. He would have to do his best never to piss off the cute girl, because he had not been this cheerful in who knew how long!

The closest thing he had to compare it to was his initial training with Team Seven. As an orphan, a group of comrades devoted to helping one another grow was the closest thing to family he had ever had. Kakashi-sensei had acted like a favorite uncle, Sakura-chan fit the mold of best friend or sister, and Sasuke felt like an older brother. Pausing in his meal at the thought, Naruto sighed and continued to eat with a small smile on his face. Before, such a thought would have made him depressed. But now, remembering his old team instead left him feeling oddly nostalgic. Despite the tragic ending, Team Seven was a part of him, and that was never going to change.

Finishing his current bowl, the blonde signaled for another. Between camping in the woods and hiding in various safe houses, this was the first decent ramen he had in months! Between Tsunade-baa-chan, Shizune-nee-chan, and Hinata-chan, he had only been eating healthy stuff like vegetables for way too long. While he thought Shizune-nee-chan and Hinata-chan were excellent cooks, without a decent fix of ramen his palette was going to be damaged beyond repair. So he and Hinata had been eating at the stand for nearly an hour, while he did his best to make up for lost time.

Of course, with his newly enforced table manners, he had only managed to finish three bowls in an hour, with number four on its way. Coupled with the lower quality compared to Ichiraku and the treats they had been eating all day, the blonde was almost full to bursting. Hinata had limited herself to only a single vegetable ramen, and was only now finished with her meal. Most of the dinner conversation had been light, dealing with minor topics while they tried to extend the evening as long as possible. Judging from the Kunoichi's smile, Naruto was fairly sure that he was not the only one who wanted the date to continue longer.

However, after his fourth bowl came and went, the blonde could no longer justify forcing his date to watch him eat. Paying for the meal, Naruto sighed when turning to face his friend. "Well, Hinata-chan I guess we should head back. Baa-chan is probably wondering where we are by now." Seeing her hesitant nod, Naruto helped to gather their prizes from the festival before holding out his arm. Feeling the now familiar weight on his side, Naruto sighed. He really hoped that they got to do this again because he was getting addicted to all the close contact.

Of course, since things had been going great all evening, that was the moment they decided to go pear shaped. They had barely left the restaurant before, in a fury of motion four unfamiliar Taki ninja appeared before them. Feeling Hinata tense, Naruto began forming the hand sign for his signature technique before the lead foreign ninja held up a hand. "Please bear with me, Uzumaki Naruto. My team has no desire to start a fight." Keeping his chakra tensed, the blonde slowly lowered his arms. While he occasionally had some luck in creating Shadow Clones without seals, it was significantly more difficult. Hopefully, he would be able to respond quickly enough to counter any actual attacks.

Seeing his actions, the lead Taki ninja bowed. "I apologize for the dramatics, Uzumaki-san, but you have been very difficult to find. I am Foam of Taki, and my team is here as envoys from Shibuki-sama. He sent us to deliver a message to both you and Tsunade concerning your current situation. All I want to do is complete my mission and return with your answer. Would that be acceptable?"

Blinking in surprise, Naruto released his concentration on his chakra. The message to Baa-chan made sense. After all, she was the leader of their little group and the one who made all decisions of any real importance. But to find out one of his old acquaintances had actually bothered to send him a separate message? That was actually quite touching in a way. But before he could answer one way or another, the impromptu conference was interrupted by a shout. Suddenly, four Hanas had jumped between the two groups, facing the Taki ninja. Looking closer, Naruto mentally amended his previous observation. It was more like Hana and three Juujin Bunshin, a move that brought back quite a few memories from the Chunin Exam.

Never taking her gaze from the tense Taki ninja, Hana began to bark out orders. "Naruto, get Hinata back to Tsunade. I'll do my best to hold them off until you get back. These guys have been hounding your steps all night, and it's taken a lot of effort to hold them off. Who knows what they really want?" Frowning at the orders, Naruto was just about to tell her to shove it before Foam spoke up.

"Our information did not indicate which Inuzuka had joined your party, but looking at the three transformed canines it's clear we're dealing with Inuzuka Hana, eldest of the Inuzuka Clan Head. No wonder things kept going wrong when we attempted to meet with these two. You've had your companions running interference against anyone who appeared to be interested in those two didn't you? Given what my subordinates reported, that's the only thing that makes any sense. You know, for a chaperone, you're fairly proactive. We have no intention of attacking any of you." Tilting his head, the Taki ninja frowned. "I do believe that one of your companions has something belonging to my friend here. It is in fairly bad taste to hold onto something like that, isn't it?" Blushing, one of the transformed ninja dogs tossed a wallet at the large ninja on the left.

Realizing that his date had been under observation made the blonde very annoyed. He had been enjoying himself, but Hana had to come along to try and gather intelligence on them? That was just plain mean! Shaking his head, Naruto forced himself to remain calm. While the date was a nice break, it only stood to reason that the others would be worried about exposure. They were dealing with jerks like Uchiha Itachi and Orochimaru after all, so a little caution was probably a good idea. Besides, it's not like Hana had done anything to ruin their date, so he could not get too mad.

Feeling Hinata-chan tense at his side, Naruto decided things had gotten out of hand. Pushing his way past the swearing Inuzuka with his date at his side, he faced down the Taki elite. The last time he had faced such a group, things had deteriorated into an all out brawl that would have resulted in his death or capture. However, this time he had spent several hours having fun with a cute girl and more importantly, several days getting lectured by Baa-chan between spars. So there was no way he wanted to start a fight in the middle of the street. "If you have a message, then go ahead and deliver it. I promise to make sure that Tsunade gets her own scroll, and if Shibuki has told you anything about me, you know my word is good enough."

The Taki leader stiffened for a minute before throwing two scrolls, one red and the other blue. "The red one is meant for Tsunade of the Sannin. The blue one is a personal missive from Shibuki-sama. We were instructed to wait for a reply from at least one of the message recipients, so if you don't mind reading it now we would be happy to wait." Feeling Hinata bury her head into his shoulder, Naruto smiled as she tapped his shoulder twice. Apparently, as far as the Byakugan was concerned, there was nothing in the scrolls besides ink and paper. Cracking the seal on the blue one, he began to read.

_Naruto,_

_I apologize if this message comes at a inconvenient time, but once I heard about your situation I could not stand back and do nothing. You are an underappreciated hero in my country, and I owe you more than I can possibly return. If Konoha has decided to spit upon one of the most loyal ninja I have ever known, despite a few personal quirks, then as a friend I am happy to make up the difference. You are invited to come to Taki at your convenience to spend some of your recovery period there. Between our natural defenses and security measures, we can insure your safety._

_Naruto, while the message to Tsunade is a little more flowery, I think that you need to hear the straight facts. There are numerous enemies out there tracking your movements. Our scouts have reported underground bounties, special operations, and other such programs solely focused upon your groups capture or elimination. While your constant motion is making tracking difficult, these are powerful and resourceful groups. You need to be cautions, and if providing your safe harbor limits your danger in any way, it would be well worth any risk. Please think about this carefully, and give your response to Foam. He is one of my most trustworthy subordinates, and will do his best to limit any danger you may or may not be in._

_If you choose not to visit, then I urge you to be extra cautious. Some of the rumors out there are making my skin crawl. I understand that Tsunade is the one to make the final decision, but knowing you, I would not be surprised if you could change even her mind. Regardless, find some secure way of getting contact to me one way or the other if you change your mind for any reason. As I understand it, you now have the Toad contract. From what I know, as allied summons from Konoha, one of our allies, they would have no issue with delivering messages. Keep this in mind for the future, because either way it gets a little lonely at the top._

_Best wishes,_

_Shibuki, Leader of Taki_

Smiling, Naruto rolled up the scroll before carefully putting it in his pocket. It was always nice to have friends willing to help you out in your time of need. While he was in much better shape than before, the Taki leader's offer was more than generous. They would have a base of operations, allies to help deal with any conflicts, and a chance to hang out with a friend. All in all, Naruto was just raring to tell the Taki squad to give him a chance to pack.

Of course, that was where his sense of duty came into play. As an official ally of Konoha, Taki could get into all sorts of trouble if they helped to hide his group. Not only would the old jerks and clan heads make a fuss, but all the other nations after him and the others would target Shibuki in retaliation. The very offer itself was almost too generous, but there was no way that Naruto could put a friend in danger to save himself. Thus it was with a clear conscious that he turned to Foam and spoke. "Tell Shibuki that I really appreciate his offer, but there is no way I can come and visit right now. I'll get the message to my Sensei right away, but we will be heading out as soon as possible. I will do my best to send a longer message back to Shibuki later like he suggested. is that alright?"

Smirking, Foam bowed from the waist. "That is acceptable Uzumaki-san. I will pass your message directly to Shibuki-sama with all possible haste. However, it will probably take us about five days to return to Taki, so another direct meeting is unlikely. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience our mission might have caused you and wish you well. Meanwhile, we should be going. Please, stay safe for our leader's sake." Thus, with a splash of water, the Taki squad was gone.

Pocketing the second scroll, Naruto sighed. He just knew that Baa-chan was going to get pissed about how that went, but what else was he supposed to do? As nice as the offer was, he would make Shibuki put him and his comrades ahead of Taki. Otherwise, he would undermine the boy's position and that would just not do. Feeling Hinata squeeze his arm for comfort, the blonde shook his head bemusedly. Being popular really sucked sometimes.

* * *

Authors Notes

Well, that was fun!

I know some people will be unhappy with how sappy it ended up, but that was kind of the point. This date incorporated a number of elements that I constantly have trouble with, including comedy, fluff, and actual emotional depth. For those of you who are itching for a proper fight or two, do not worry. The whole point for building up this much fluff was a buffer before we transition into the final stretch. Enemies will be coming faster and harder now, so be prepared. Not everyone will react as nicely as the Taki ninja. ***hint hint***

Honestly, the thing that surprised me about the date was how many moments of depression Naruto kept running into. I did NOT enter this with the idea that he would be reflecting upon so many deep subjects, but that s just sort of how it panned out. Hopefully, this will at least satisfy the curious about both Hinata and Naruto s respective emotional growth. We ve seen them kick ass, and turn to one another for comfort. Now we can see just how much they trust each other. Doesn t it just bring a tear to your eye?

Again, thank you all for the great number of reviews. The only major ones that caught my attention were issues with Kakashi, and yet another desire to see elemental training. To nip these in the butt, Kakashi will show up in the next chapter concerning Konoha, and elemental affinity training will be examined before the next arc. So please, be patient.

Oh, and I do not hate the orange clothing. I was just trying to do something more interesting than copy the Shippuuden outfits. They ll probably switch to something different later, but that s just what I could come up with. Now, I meant to post this yesterday, but between some Real Life issues and a Halloween party, I ended getting a little delayed. As many of you might be aware, November has a special designation to any number of writers, experienced and inexperienced alike. Yes, I am talking about **National Novel Writing Month **and what it means to us today.

In the past, I have done my best to have a buffer in place before this little competition catches up with me. It forces me to grow and develop as a writer, and I am often quite pleased with the results. However, since the average lengths of my chapters have been growing from update to update, that did not happen. So, rather than produce a half-assed chapter between freak outs, I have come up with another solution.

Instead of focusing upon Escape from the Hokage s Hat, I will commit to producing two chapters of Different Techniques by the end of November. I already have one in beta reviews at the moment, and believe that it will be ready shortly. In preparation for this, I have been working on outlines of any number of stories for several months, getting them ready for production. However, because I know a number of you will be annoyed with the situation, I decided to sweeten the deal.

Within the next twenty four hours, I will be setting up a new poll. That poll will list a number of outlines I have ready for Different Techniques that will probably take a reasonable amount of effort to produce. In two weeks, I will post the next chapter, beta or no depending upon my source, and take down the poll. Whatever wins the poll at that point, will be the fourth chapter of the story. So prepare to vote for your favorites and I will do my best to meet your expectations! :)

Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy!


	38. Limited Options

No I don't own Naruto. Although in my defense, Kishimoto does not own Dragon Ball but has no problems borrowing characters and techniques for his own purposes.

Chapter Thirty Five: Limited Options

Taking a sip of tea, Isaribi did her best to remain calm. The tests and examinations had gone on for hours before the two medics had sent her away to rest. However, despite the absolute silence that probably indicated some sort of security technique, the young civilian could not allow herself to relax. So far, Tsunade's efforts seemed hopeless, but Isaribi could not allow herself to give up. If the best medic on the planet could not find a solution, then she was cursed to live out her days alone as a freak. No matter what the ninja said, as far as she could tell from the options in front of her, the chance at a decent future would be over. She was a civilian, not a ninja, and not being able to live that sort of lifestyle would remove any chance at proper happiness.

But now, sitting before the two medical specialists with only a pot of tea to separate them, Isaribi began to wonder if she was really ready to hear the truth. At least in her room, the future was not going to be defined so completely and utterly. Still, it did not take much to make the silence even more uncomfortable than the lack of knowledge. Draining her cup, Isaribi did her best to meet their gazes. "I thank you for all you've done, Tsunade-sama, Shizune-san, but I think I need to know. Do you two believe that you can fix me, or should I simply do my best to adapt to my life as it is?" She was no ninja, but neither woman seemed to be interested in hiding their emotions at the moment. She could practically feel the tension building in the room.

Taking a long sip from her own cup, the blonde medic sighed. The sound of the ceramic making contact with the stone floor had a certain sense of finality. "Well Isaribi, when we first examined your case, the first thought was simply to remove the altered organs and repair the remainder. Any trace of those alterations could make you a target, just like we mentioned after the incident with the Kiri hunter ninja. In all frankness, given your thoughts and feelings on the subject, not to mention the sheer stupidity of leaving you with skills you had no interest in controlling, it was the preferred option." Looking down, Tsunade refused to meet her eyes anymore. "Unfortunately, it appears that this method is not viable, no matter how much or little time we actually have." Feeling her breath catch, it was all the civilian could do not to burst out crying.

Putting a hand on her mentor's shoulder, Shizune interrupted. "It's just not as simple as fixing everything. The process that Amachi used to initiate your transformation is a combination of physical surgery, gene therapy and a number of complex inoculations. From what both our research of his materials and examinations show, your current biochemistry forces your unaltered cells to develop a certain dependency upon your altered ones. That's how you are able to function both in the water and land so easily. If we simply cut everything out and patch you up, the withdrawal symptoms would probably kill you if the strain did not. As medics, killing you to fix the problem is just not a proper course of action. To even have a shot of pulling that off would require rewriting your entire biochemistry from scratch, and there is simply too much that could go wrong doing it blindly." Isaribi almost wondered if it would be worth it before mentally shaking her head. Being alone again would suck, but she had made due in the past. Then why did the news hurt so damn much?

Visibly gathering herself, Tsunade suddenly looked up, a fire in her gaze. "So with that out, we looked at the two remaining possibilities. Both are easily doable, and well within our abilities. First, we can allow you to remain as you currently are, with a partial transformation and a few physical scars. No worse than what you currently endure and no major skin off our noses to boot." Narrowing her eyes, the blonde almost seemed to swell with determination. "Or, we can complete the transformation to nearly the level that Amachi managed. That way, you would either appear to be transformed or human, with no middle ground at all. Given the extent of your current physical makeup, it would be a quick and nearly painless process. However, it has a much higher price."

Isaribi was not stupid, but a lot of this was going over her head. Terms like "gene therapy" or "biochemistry" were simply beyond her experience, and it frustrated the civilian to no end. Still, at least some of the description had made sense. "So wait, you're telling me that I can either stay the same, or transform completely like Amachi?" Seeing the hesitant nod, she leapt to her feet. "Then what are we waiting for? If that is an option, then we let's do it! Being able to retain these powers while walking down the street sounds perfect! I might not want to be a ninja, but there's no reason that I cannot at least enjoy these abilities after going through everything else right? It s only fair." The only thing that kept her from getting on her knees and begging was the look in the medics' eyes. That sort of pity was hard to miss.

Standing up, the blonde medic moved in front of her, solid as a tree. "I know that it seems simple, Isaribi, but it's not. As you are now, things are uncomfortable and a little annoying. People have treated you as less than human because of something that is not your fault, and the idea of having that removed is so tempting that it probably hurts. But before you go leaping into a procedure that will change your life forever, understand the consequences of your choice. They are real, and potentially very dangerous for your continued wellbeing." She knew that Tsunade was only trying to help, but the girl was tired of waiting. Any chance at being somewhat normal again had to be worth it, no matter what the cost.

Apparently her determination was easily seen, because Tsunade let out a sigh. "Alright, if you are going to be that stubborn, let's go over the cost of such a procedure. We won't need money or anything. As an ex-teammate of Orochimaru, I feel some level of responsibility for your situation, so I will of course provide the materials and skills needed at no cost present or future. Instead, the price will be paid by you in other, less pleasant ways." Isaribi had to fight the urge to fidget. While all this dramatic build up was nice and all, she was getting tired of the excuses and just wanted to hear it straight already! How hard could that be?

Sitting down, Tsunade drew her down to join her. "First of all, forget living away from a natural salt water source. In your current form you can travel around a bit, without any driving need to change besides personal preference. However, the process causes your body to produce a number of toxins that you can only really filter with the transformation. The salt helps neutralize the toxins while flushing them from your tissue. You might manage with a fresh water river, or a bath of salt water, but the amount of toxins that build over time is low enough to manage if you're careful. Changing completely will increase the chemical buildup to the point where you will need at least two hours a day of swimming in a lot of salt water to remain healthy. The number of side effects from excessive chemical saturation would theoretically vary from organ failure to straight out death." Hearing it spelled out like that was like an electric shock. Isaribi had spent her entire life near the ocean, so the cost did not seem that excessive to her. Yet, being chained to the ocean did seem rather ominous.

Forcing herself to remain calm, Isaribi continued to listen, stomach dropping with every word. "We believe that the reason Orochimaru discarded this research project in the first place, is that he realized the limitations of the resulting transformations. While anyone who undergoes the procedure did gain a few minor benefits, including heightened speed, strength, water elemental manipulation, and breathing under water, the down sides are just not cost effective. Not only did most of the subjects transform into mindless killing machines, but their health decreased dramatically once they left the shore. That snake viewed people as simple fodder for his experiments, and would never condone such a waste. It's not like he had enough people to make a specialized force just to take over the coast, when other than Kiri there is not that much to hold out there. Using chakra to walk on water is honestly comparable in terms of effectiveness."

Coughing, Shizune interrupted her own tone clinical and detached. "In fact, that was probably why Amachi was so obsessed with making this project work. After examining his remains, and your biological chemistry, it was clear that he did not take the time to properly flush his system like he should have. While the salt water in the air probably preserved his primary tissue, the toxic deposits that were present had clearly done a number on his brain. In fact, it would not surprise me if some of his violent tendencies came from damage to his spine and nerve receptors. Perfecting the process was beyond him, but doing so would probably be the only thing keeping him alive. At the rate he was going, I would not be surprised if Amachi would have died or had a full mental breakdown soon enough" Then the brunette shuddered, and the image of the uncaring medic shattered into a million pieces.

Feeling like someone was stepping on her chest, Isaribi blurted out, "But why did he change himself if it was so dangerous? He didn't have any trouble changing others for his own sick enjoyment, so why no continue to do so until it was perfect? He was obsessed with his own progress, and did all of those things to me to make advances." Feeling her skin prickle from the stress, it was all the civilian could do to stop herself from shaking. "Are you saying that he did something that could kill me, knew it didn't work, and then subjected himself to it? That's just insane!"

Blowing a strand of hair from her face, the blonde medic sighed. "Some ninja, medical or no, become obsessed with power without thinking about the consequences. From what his notes seem to suggest, after managing a success with your transformation, Amachi grew impatient to gain that power for himself. But with Orochimaru withdrawing his support, the bastard did not have enough materials to continue to perfect the process. So, throwing away his common sense, he tweaked the formula a bit, assuming that would be enough to deal with any problems, and applied the transformation to his own body. None of his notes explicitly state his failure, so either he was hiding it, or just did not view it as such. The end result nearly drove him even crazier than he was, and left us with our current options." Gulping, Isaribi shuddered in revulsion.

"Now remember, even if you chose to remain unchanged, you will still have to bathe regularly in salt water to remain healthy. Constant buildup of these toxins can result in blindness, fatigue, sterility, or even organ failure. However, it's nothing a tub and some cheep kitchen seasonings can't fix. You could probably live on the top of a mountain with the correct supplies. But if we complete this step, and change you into something closer to Amachi's final form, then you'll have to get to an ocean as quickly as possible." Pinning her with a look, Tsunade shook her head. "Also, while I don't like putting it so bluntly, you will also have to leave our group to accomplish this. We simply cannot accommodate something like this and keep everyone safe. Too many people are looking for us, and staying along the coast line would simply put us in a disadvantage too great to ignore. We would do everything needed to get you there safely, but that would be about it." Thinking of being alone, without Naruto or Hinata for support, left Isaribi feeling very, very cold.

Standing once again, Tsunade gave her a weak smile. "Now that you know all the major facts, I want you to think about this for a bit, Isaribi-chan. We've got a few more days here, so take as much time as you want to review your options. If you decide to postpone the decision, and retain your current form, then that's fine. We can always try it later in another location. However, if you make the decision to change completely, there is most likely no turning back. At the very least, we would try to escort you to the nearest coast, but the mechanics would take some real effort. Either way, it's your life and your decision to make. I will not play god by taking what little control over your life you have left away. If you have any more questions, or want any advice, feel free to talk to either Shizune or myself about this, alright?" Feeling completely overwhelmed, Isaribi nodded her acceptance before the two medics left her alone with her thoughts.

On one hand, the choices seemed rather simple. As an orphan and pariah, Isaribi had dealt with being different for quite some time. Her only refuge had been the depths of the ocean, so the medic's limitations did not seem so bad. After everything that she had dealt with in her life, the civilian just wanted a peaceful life without any danger. Without her disfigured flesh and a bit of careful management, she could see herself settling farther up the coast with a new identity quite easily. It was not like she had planned on staying with the Konoha contingent forever, after all.

On the other hand, the idea of being trapped in some ocean side town, unable to leave for any length of time, seemed rather lonely. While she told herself that it was nothing she could not handle, Isaribi knew that having friends again had been better than she could have dreamed. Both the younger ninja had gone out of their way to offer support and attention to the lonely girl, and she deeply appreciated it. It was thanks to those two that she even had the option to be changed in the first place. While she did not want to be a bother, leaving like this left a hole in her stomach. She wanted to be there for them like they had for her, no matter what the problems. She wanted to chat with Hinata about her growing relationship with Naruto, play games with the blonde boy, and laugh at his jokes. While her head told her that their separation was inevitable, her heart was having trouble accepting the truth. It left her feeling disoriented and confused.

However, before she could continue to brood, a scuffling sound came from the entrance. Looking out, her eyes widened at the sight of Naruto and Hinata returning, with Hana in tow. Both kids looked tired, but mostly satisfied, weighed down with all sorts of trinkets from the shops and festival stalls. The older girl, on the other hand, looked both tense and irritable, while her canine companions were not much better. Watching Tsunade join them, all of the Chunin looked rather put out about something. Biting her lip, Isaribi just knew that things were about to get even more complicated.

* * *

Naruto was beginning to wish for a chance to change. While the outfit he used for his date was somewhat comfortable, spending a day outside had covered everything in a thin layer of dust and sweat. It was nothing unbearable, having dealt with worse, but the blonde was having a hard enough time keeping still at the moment. He had been forced to remain in the entrance, arms filled with favors from the date while the Inuzuka debriefed without pause. Hana had been describing the situation to Tsunade from the moment they walked through the door, and left him feeling antsy. His date with Hinata-chan had been awesome, but hearing it dissected like this left a bad taste in his mouth. If the cute girl did not have a firm grasp of his arm, he might have interrupted the older kunoichi's in order to get things over with. Hearing his mistakes, despite all that effort to make things go smoothly, was rather humiliating.

Finally, after what seemed like forever but was probably only about fifteen minutes, Hana was silent. Hearing the Hokage clear her throat, Naruto looked around for a place to put his stuff down. There was no way he wanted any memory lost just because he failed to dodge a punch. But instead of verbally lashing out, Tsunade asked in a clear and unwavering tone, "Naruto, please explain your reasoning to me. From what Hana described, a battle with the Taki ninja would have been difficult but manageable. Removing them would have given us more time to plan our next move. Now, we will have maybe a day or two available to get a head start." Unlike the angry shouts or cold fury that the kunoichi usually expressed, the comments were calm without a hint of either irritation or enthusiasm. In all honesty, Naruto found it kind of creepy.

Still, with a cute girl at his side and determination in his soul, the blonde had nothing to be ashamed of. "Well, we might not be that friendly, but Taki is one of our allies right? So attacking them on the street would probably make our relationship get screwed up. Toki went on and on about stuff like that. Even if they are smaller and weaker than Konoha, we can't just stomp them because others could see doing stuff like that as a danger to their own interests." Seeing the shocked expression on Hana's face, Naruto had to fight an irritated twitch. Sure he could be a little hyper, but he did learn things.

Making a point to look the Inuzuka in the eye, he managed to continue without gritting his teeth. "Besides, they were all high Chunin to low Jonin, so any fight would have made a mess and raised all sorts of flags. So all I did was promise to deliver their message, which Hinata-chan confirmed was safe, for you to decide about. A personal little message from their leader can just be shrugged off since we knew each other before this even happened. While we've got to move, it honestly could be a lot worse."

Tsunade's face remained impassive for all of ten more seconds before splitting into a wide grin. "That is the sort of thing I have wanted to hear for months, you little brat." Naruto might have been a little more appreciative, if he did not feel like his brain had stopped working. What the heck was Granny talking about? All he did was think over the situation, weigh his options, and act accordingly. Then, recalling a few of his previous efforts at thinking things through, the blonde bit his lip. Maybe she had a reason to be so thankful?

Deciding to put that off for the moment, he reached inside his pocket for the second scroll. "Almost forgot about this with all that chatting. I wouldn't be much of a Hokage if I didn't keep my word to allies, now would I?" Ignoring the woman's smirk, the blonde handed over the message. "Hinata already checked it for traps and neither Hana nor I smelled anything weird about it. So it's probably not a trap or anything." Nodding her acceptance, Tsunade broke the seal and began to read. After five minutes of that activity, the smile was wiped from her face.

Carefully rolling the scroll up, the Hokage rubbed her eyes. "When this is all over, I am sending Jiraiya back here to take this place apart. Taki obviously has a source in the area, and nonaggression treaty or no I am not about to allow that sort of security breach to stand." Sighing, the blonde addressed the assembled ninja. "We're out of time people. While I agree that Taki probably has no interest in launching an attack against us, once those ninja return home our location is only going to be as secure as their information network. Given the situation, that is an unacceptable risk. We have a few days before they report in, so let's not waste them."

Nodding, Naruto was just about to go and prepare before Tsunade turned to the side. "I am sorry about this, but our time table has been moved up. I will give you until tomorrow morning to make your choice, but that's the best I can do." Blinking the blonde watched Isaribi nod her face nearly as white as a ghost. Feeling a knot build in his stomach, he forced himself to leave the corridor. He would have to ask what was wrong later. At the moment, all he could do was push forward like he always did. Still, at least the date had ended before everything when crazy.

* * *

Feeling her headache finally disperse, Hinata rapidly formed a number of hand signs before activating her Byakugan. While her recent intense training in both chakra control and endurance had allowed her to activate the technique without the focus that hand seals provided, the young girl knew that using them would increase her efficiency. Given the number of Amachi's scrolls that still had to be sorted, she and her two clones needed to conserve all the chakra they could. Each scroll had to be checked for traps, its contents reviewed, and grouped based upon both priority and subject matter. Despite the growth of her eyes, the kunoichi was getting massive tension headaches from all the reading that her herbal tea barely suppressed.

Still, they barely had any time. Tsunade-sensei had decided that they would leave within two days, regardless of Isaribi's decision. No matter what the Taki ninja's motives were, if their location had been compromised once, it could be again. So while the civilian girl was thinking over her options, everyone else was busy preparing to leave town. Thinking over the Hokage's description of Isaribi's choice, Hinata had to suppress a shudder. To be chained to the ocean or being a traveling spectacle. While she held no fear of the girl, Hinata could already imagine how civilians might react. One only had to look at Naruto-kun's treatment to see what fear could do to the ignorant. Hopefully, Isaribi would choose correctly, because the Hyuga honestly had no idea what she would do.

Throwing off the depressing thoughts, Hinata continued with her task. Tsunade had decided that storing the materials in one of the summon plains would probably work best. Given the quality of their trackers, any lost or stolen samples or documents could be a disaster. But while the summon plains were nearly impossible for enemies to breach they also lacked areas suitable storage. Her job was to carefully sort and treat the research so that it could be handled correctly once sent away. It would not do for a summoned slug, toad or lizard to accidentally release a biological contamination into their environment by mistake.

Moving another scroll about chemical ratios in salt water, Hinata was shocked by what was hidden underneath. The latest scroll was much longer that those before it, yet almost painfully thin. It was bound shut by a barbed chain, with no lock in sight. Yet those facts alone did not grab her attention. Each and every bit of the scroll seemed to glow as if it was alive. In fact, she had only seen something like this once only to a much lesser degree. Focusing upon the limited text within, Hinata blinked in shock. Keeping her Byakugan active, she called out to the woman sorting piles behind her. "Shizune-sempai, what is this one about?"

Looking up from her own staggering piles of material, the older woman sighed. "Oh, I remember that one. Hana found it behind a wall in one of the larger laboratories. We didn't have time to properly analyze it on site, but she could smell the chakra on its defenses from three rooms over. Tsunade-sama didn't want to waste time on it after finding enough research on Isaribi to make our evaluation, especially with a chakra lock that powerful. Why, what does it say?" Seeing the brunette approach, Hinata struggled to keep her focus on the information in front of her. If this was accurate, then she might just have found another powerful weapon for them to use.

Narrowing her eyes at a cryptography she did not recognize, Hinata answered. "I can't read everything, but most of it appears to deal with that water construct Amachi launched at me during our fight. There are diagrams, formulas, and a number of different seals and codes I don't know. I think that this is the research tied to his efforts to control and create a personal summons. The only chakra involved in its protection appears to be tied into the chain. The paper itself reminds me of the summoning scroll for the lizards we found back in Neck Country." Left unsaid that such a powerful tool could work wonders in complementing her personal style. She tried not to be greedy, but such a powerful ally would help her protect Naruto-kun much more effectively.

Sighing, Shizune put a warm hand on her shoulder. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Hinata. While I admit that this looks promising, we need to take every precaution in dealing with something so dangerous. A few of the traps that we've found so far are nearly enough to deal with the likes of Tsunade-sama and Orochimaru. In all frankness, that's probably the level of enemy Amachi began to hide his research from. Put it to the side, and we'll take more time to analyze it once we leave Crater City." Frowning, Hinata complied with the older kunoichi's orders. But despite Shiunze's concern, the young girl just knew that the scroll would be very important. After all, if she was going to walk beside Naruto-kun, she would need all the help she could get! Still, she forced it out of her mind while continuing to sort the remaining materials. They were low on time after all.

* * *

Turning back to her own work, Shizune continued to carefully sort and store the biological samples. While Hinata's Byakugan was ideal for examining the retrieved documentation, her greater experience was ideal for dealing with the messier remnants of Amachi's work. Most were the preserved remains of failed experiments from the island, ranging from organs to blood samples. A few vials held the remains of Isaribi's chemical tests from the earlier exams. While she agreed with Tsunade that a pure cure was impossible, she was not foolish enough to assume that there were no undiscovered secrets still hiding within the corrupted flesh and fluids. Her job was to sort the least contaminated materials for storage and destroy the rest.

Noticing an isolated black vial, Shizune suppressed another shudder. She had followed Tsunade-sama for years and was a very powerful medical ninja and poison specialist. Over the course of her training, the brunette had mastered autopsy techniques and surgeries that would make a normal person pass out from sheer disgust. But despite that knowledge, the contents of that little piece of glass still made her skin crawl. Whatever Amachi or more likely Orochimaru had done to acquire that stuff had to be beyond inhuman. Nothing should be natural yet unnatural to such a degree. But what could you expect from such twisted genius as the Snake Sannin?

Never before had the medic seen something with so much potential for pain and suffering. Both she and Tsunade had run test after test upon the compound, and the results were more unbelievable each time. The substance was a biological catalyst that could mold and warp bone and tissue like wet clay. It increased everything from muscle mass, nerve responses, bone density and skin tension! Ingesting a single drop would probably kill you as organs rearranged themselves randomly, but that had not stopped Orochimaru. Combined with their other research, both medics were forced to admit the truth, if only to one another. This vial possessed an untainted supply of the original source of the Cursed Seal. With something so small, the traitor had created his greatest biological weapon, using the effects to increase the power of his servants at least ten fold.

But Amachi had taken the properties of the catalyst and gone in a different direction. He had attempted to replicate the effects with chemicals, using different combinations on different people. From what his notes recorded, Amachi had lost nearly eighty percent of his test subjects on purpose, simply to gain a better understanding of the transformation process. He did not bother using the catalyst itself, apparently unable to acquire more from the source, instead relying upon a combination of science and guesswork. The sheer number of senseless deaths that could be attributed to his dark curiosity was enough to give her nightmares.

Yet, despite her distaste, Shizune was oddly hopeful. After years of failure, Konoha might actually be on the verge of defeating that abomination. Between their analysis of the raw material, the remnants of the dead Kaguya, and Jiraiya's seal knowledge, the possibility of a counter or cure was closer than ever before. Not only could this be a vital step in dealing with Orochimaru once and for all, but she knew of at least one kunoichi who would give nearly anything to remove the seal. Hopefully, once they got back to the village, the two Sannin would have enough time to actually collaborate without Jiraiya being sent through a wall again.

Taking a specially prepared canister, lined with cotton and suppression seals, Shizune placed the vial with all the care of someone disarming an exploding tag. Ensuring the materials were secured, she then placed the canister into a second one, before sealing the entrance with a tag. Positive that the security was properly activated, the medic made a point of sealing the material into a black scroll, before taking another tag on top of that. While a mere three layers of security seemed rather limited for such a deadly substance, they lacked both the time and resourcesto enact the normal seven layers common for something of this importance. Hopefully, the guardian summons would not get too curious.

Hearing movement behind her, Shizune turned to face her mentor. The blonde had a serious look on her face, but her tone gave little away besides her normal blunt tones. "That's enough packing for the moment. I have tasks for both of you." Turning to the younger woman, Tsunade-sama cracked a small smile. "Hinata, go and join Naruto at the escape tunnel. He is to contact the toads and see if they will be willing to accommodate our needs. However, your task is to analyze the route so that our final departure is unhindered by any attempts at capture from our local agent. Despite his growth, Naruto's chakra usage might still reveal our position when using something like the Summoning Technique. Keep a careful eye out just to be safe." Nodding, Hinata carefully replaced the scroll on the shrinking pile in front of her, wasting no time to join her crush. Shizune almost sighted in jealousy, but could not quite manage the necessary heat. The two teenagers were just too cute together.

Her idle thoughts were broken by Tsunade's cough. "If you're done dreaming, we still have work to do. Gather you supplies and wash up. It appears that our guest has made her decision and doesn't want to waste a second." Blinking in shock, Shizune checked over the containment of the remaining samples before hurrying back to her pack. While this would not be the first time a patient needed something done outside of a hospital, there was no reason to take unnecessary chances. After all, a single mistake could be catastrophic and Isaribi was going to have enough on her plate shortly.

* * *

Checking the vital signs of her patient once again, Tsunade was fully assured that the sleeping technique was stable. It would not do for the civilian to wake up while they were rearranging her cellular structure. Just to be safe, Isaribi had been strapped into a makeshift operating table, after being carefully sanitized from head to toe. Tsunade knew that they only had one shot at getting the procedure right, so everything had to be perfect. Besides, if some halfwit madman like Amachi could pull this off, then the world's greatest medical ninja would have no problems adapting the technique.

Still, the medic wished that the girl had taken more time. Originally, she had expected Isaribi to have at least three days before making a choice, one way or the other. But when Hana had returned with word of the Taki ninja, the girl had panicked, pacing her room for mere hours before approaching Tsunade with a decision. Despite all the warnings and conditions, the girl was just too desperate to have some control over her life again and damn the consequences. Tsunade only hoped that Isaribi would be this sure ten or twenty years down the line. In her profession, medical decisions made under stress never turned out for the best.

The girl was just too young to fully understand the consequences of her actions. The idea of moving around did not appeal to her sensibilities as much as being normal once again. Academically, the blonde could somewhat understand this behavior. Years on the road had taught her quite a bit about the minds of civilians. They sought out what was normal and pleasant, talking about adventure but not really seeking it. That which was familiar was to be cherished, while that which was strange was to be feared. Isaribi could care less about her options in terms of travel or excitement. She was simply willing to settle for a place in society where she would not be perceived as different anymore. It was a little short sighted, but all the lectures in the world would not work if the subject was unwilling to listen.

It was one of the reasons that the Kekkei Genkai clans made such dependable ninja. They were raised to embrace and harness skills and abilities that appeared freakish to normal humans. Thus, if they did not excel at being ninja, other careers would fail because they would never fit the perceived mold. Even in a ninja village, those who were different could sometimes have to fight for their place. Naruto could be seen as an extreme case of this behavior, but he was far from the only one to be punished for difference. That was just human nature, and overcoming it was much harder than mastering high level techniques.

But Isaribi had lacked even the support of family members to guide her. She had started out as a normal, little girl only to be granted abilities she had not desired or needed. The facial scars were a constant reminder of her unwanted change, and having a chance to remove them was just too much for her to resist. Tsunade had hoped that the warnings would at least make her hesitate, but such was life. Now all she could do was fulfill her promise while praying that the civilian girl would not hate them one day.

That still did not make her feel any better about the upcoming abandonment. The simple fact was that Isaribi needed to get near a major salt water source and soon. However, her plan was to move further inland, using the various roads and trading routes around Crater City to cover their escape. If Isaribi had chosen to postpone or reject the treatment, they probably could have taken her along with some careful planning. But now that she wanted her cure, Tsunade would need to arrange for an alternate route for the girl. Thank goodness that she had enough experience dealing with the Toad Tribe to get a few ideas. The Slug's were great companions, but lacked the necessary speed to make this work. Hence the reason she had sent Naruto off in order to make contact. The ride would probably be uncomfortable, but it was better than dying on the road from organ poisoning.

Hearing her first apprentice walking over, assorted tools in hand, Tsunade knew it was time to stop her stalling. Shizune was in charge of controlling the inoculations needed to stabilize the transformation, but the actual modifications would be her responsibility. Some tissue would have to be removed, a few bones repositioned, and some healing chakra applied in careful bursts for this to work out correctly. However, by the end of it, Isaribi would get her wish, and another one of Orochimaru's sins would be dealt with. Plus, the increased healing factor that the process created to deal with the strain of the transformation should make recovery take practically no time at all. Carefully forming the seals for the chakra scalpels, the blonde began her work.

* * *

Giving the medical mask another tug, Hana did her best to suppress her sense of smell. As an Inuzuka, she was used to both the advantages and weaknesses of all her techniques, so doing this should have been second nature. Yet, despite all her efforts, the stink of the solution seemed to bypass her nose and assault her very brain. It was literally like breathing in fire and sweating acid to be within five feet of the vat before her. Yet the kunoichi continued to stir, following her orders. That did not mean that she enjoyed it very much.

While Naruto and Hinata were busy with the Toad Tribe, Tsunade had given her a separate set of orders. Hana's job was to prepare an advanced solvent used to cover up chemical traces from ninja medical experiments. While the Inuzuka had the market cornered in the utilization of ninja tracking dogs, other villages had their own specialized techniques designed to track and analyze their environment. If Taki could have an information source this deep within the Land of Fire, then it was safe to say that others had accomplished the same. Tsunade wanted to ensure that none of Amachi's research left traces that enemy forces could use for their own. So on their way out, she would be tasked with using the compound to sterilize the entire cavern. Personally, the Inuzuka would have preferred the standard field practice of using a few fire balls, but she had been over ruled.

Tsunade had waxed poetic about the potential dangers involved with such an endeavor. How the chemicals they had been examining had left slight traces that certain analysis techniques could easily spot. The stagnant air of the cavern had done nothing to disperse these traces, so everything could theoretically be tracked. Fire might solve the problem temporarily, but cutting ties with a local resource was just wasteful. So she was stuck mixing a number of chemicals together in an enclosed space, so as to not arouse suspicion or comment from the populace. Meanwhile, sheand Naruto's senses were the only ones actually sharp enough to be bothered by the effect, and the little blonde was safely outside in order to summon help.

Hana might be a little hot headed at times, but she was far from stupid. Everything about her little chore reeked of a punishment of some sort. Tsunade just had to know that this particular mixture would give her a massive migraine, yet made the order with a smile on her face. Normally, she was sure that Hinata would be asked to do this while she covered Naruto. The Inuzuka had greater experience, a respectable method of tracking enemies from long distances and quite a bit of strength on the younger girl. Meanwhile, Hinata was excellent in following directions and could follow the recipe from memory without any major issues. Clearly, the Hokage was annoyed with her.

Ok, so maybe she could have handled the Taki ninja a little more carefully. They were technically from a semi-friendly power, so her tactics might have caused a few problems. But look at what they were expected to deal with! Her nose had simply tracked four strong chakra sources, and she worked with the information she had at the time. For all the kunoichi knew, they were scouts of the Akatsuki organization!

Of course having Naruto show her up also left the Inuzuka feeling ten times worse. Sure Sure, she had worked with the guy for a while now, and he was not the idiot she remembered from Kiba's stories. But, to have so many points of action be defended successfully over her analysis left the kunoichi in the dust. If someone like him could grow up to such a degree, then maybe Hana needed to work on her own development. Forcing herself not to shake her head, fearful that her mask would dislodge, the woman made a personal vow to no longer act like Kiba during her mission. As a Chunin of Konoha, she had to retain control or her comrades could be put at risk. That was probably the point Tsunade was trying to make in the first place.

Sighing, Hana continued to stir the mixture. After this step, she would have to add nearly ten more components and mix it for another hour. It would be painful, boring, and beyond all things troublesome. But if it was her leader's way of teaching her a lesson, then Hana could do nothing more than continue. At the very least, it would ensure that she would not forget things any time soon. Still, after everything was done, she was burning this outfit. Suppressing another headache out of sheer willpower, Hana reached for the next ingredient. Somehow, she thought this was going to be a long afternoon.

* * *

Taking a deep breath from the surrounding forest, Naruto was fairly confident that no one was close enough to spy on them. He and Hinata had followed the escape tunnel five miles outside of Crater City, and besides a couple of traps that the real owner had not mentioned, it seemed clear enough for a ninja. From his own knowledge of tracking and the techniques Hana had shown him, the blonde also did not believe that anyone was near the clearing they came out of. The air smelled clear, the local critters were moving without a care, and he certainly did not feel any chakra flaring. Still, with how paranoid Baa-chan was about their situation, it was probably better to be safe than sorry. "Hinata-chan, can you do a quick check with your Byakugan? I think we're ok, but let's be extra careful. After all, this is probably going to make a lot of noise."

Nodding from her own position near the hidden exit, the cute girl smiled. "Of course Naruto-kun. Byakugan!" Their close proximity over the last few months had mostly desensitized Naruto to the shiver that happened whenever Hinata's eyes changed, but it was always there on the edge of his awareness. Those were the eyes of someone who would attack without the kunoichi's personal mercy and restraint. It had only grown worse since his sensory training under Tsunade, because he could literally feel the chakra from the technique passing through him when they were close. That particular combination encouraged Naruto to not only be on his best behavior around the girl, but pray he never pissed her off. An angry Hinata was just too creepy to contemplate. Deactivating her eyes, Hinata nodded her agreement. "We're clear, Naruto-kun. There are no humans of significant chakra development close enough to matter."

Releasing a deep breath he had not even realized he was holding, Naruto licked his lips. Tsunade had been very clear that he was to stay as under the radar as possible, so summoning Gamabunta was right out. Luckily, after spending so many years as Jiraiya's teammate, the blonde Hokage knew a thing or two about the Toad Tribe. Her recommendation was to try for someone small that he was familiar with to get a few names to focus on. While the Slugs were basically clones of the main leader, Tsunade knew from her studies and experience that mentally naming the summon creature you wanted would simplify things greatly. After all, there were a lot of Toads to choose from, and getting the wrong one would be a waste of time and chakra.

Naruto's only problem with that plan was a lack of faith in his ability to judge his chakra correctly. Most of Jiraiya's training with the Summoning Technique involved pumping as much chakra into it as possible. But the last time he had done that, Gamabunta had shown up without leaving him the least bit winded. While the blonde was very proud of his progress in terms of chakra control, he knew that using the smallest amount of chakra he was comfortable with would probably summon someone too big, too unfamiliar or both. So that left him with an old but favorite method of dealing with his problem. Forming a hand sign, he shouted his favorite phrase, "Shadow Clone Technique!" Before being surrounded by nearly a hundred copies of himself. Biting his thumb, Naruto placed some blood on the hand of the nearest clone, which quickly went through another set of hand signs. One Summoning Technique later, with a shadow clone using about one percent of his chakra as compressed as he could manage, and the familiar form of Gamakichi appeared. Smirking, Naruto dispersed his clones with barely a flinch.

Sticking a flipper into the side of his head, the young toad yawned. "Hey Naruto-bro, long time no see. I just wish you could have waited a bit longer. We had a kick ass party last night and I'm wiped." Stretching his arms, Gamakichi smacked his lips. "Still, since you've dragged me out here anyways, do you have any snacks lying around? I could really go for something tasty right about now." Biting back a retort about lazy and greedy Toads, the blonde tossed over a bag of chips. Getting them some help was more important than quibbling over the price and Gamakichi would be doing them a major favor. Hopefully, they would not run out of snacks before getting everything accomplished. He did not want to tell Tsunade that they had to convince the Slugs to help because the Toads needed more pampering than he was willing to do.

Waiting for the little summon creature to finish his treat, Naruto smiled. As annoying as the little brat could be, Gamakichi was one of his first successful summons, and as such the blonde had a soft spot for the guy. He just wished that every meeting did not clean him out of pocket money because of junk food. "Sorry to drag you out here, Gamakichi, but I need a couple of favors. We've got some stuff that's kind of dangerous, and I was hoping your family would guard it while we're traveling. Plus, Baa-chan said that the Toad tribe had some special members that might be able to help us. I've got a friend I need to move really quickly and quietly, and Baa-chan said she saw the pervert work with you to use some sort of transportation technique. Any chance you could help with that?" In fact, after hearing about a few stories about Jiraiya during the war, Naruto was almost dying to go to beg the Toad's for training himself. Some of their techniques and abilities sounded really cool!

Puffing out his chest, the little toad suddenly swelled three times his normal size. "Well, we toads are just that awesome! I know who the blonde lady is talking about, and can talk with them once we're done here. They might want a little sake or a few snacks, but it won't be anything too bad." Leaping forward, the small toad landed on the blonde's head. "So what do you need these guys for anyways? Usually, you just call out pops to beat up bad guys. I didn't think you were the sneaky type bro!"

Rolling his eyes, Naruto resisted the urge to brush the little punk off his hair. Even when his brain was semi-fried, no one could say that Naruto was uninterested in stealth. He just had not had a real chance to use it before they left Konoha. After all, what was the point of hiding while walking dogs or painting fences? "We raided one of Orochimaru's old bases and beat up his followers. But those assholes had a girl who they messed up prettybadly that we had to save. Baa-chan is treating her right now, but because of what was done to her, Isaribi needs to get to salt water really fast. So besides storing all the scrolls and stuff we retrieved from the lab, I was hoping that one of your guys could get her to the ocean quickly. We're going in a different direction, and Tsunade-baa-chan says that it might be a matter of hours before she needs to get there safe and sound."

Feeling the little toad shudder, Naruto was honestly surprised by the squeaky response. "Well, that just made things harder. I'd get a lot of sake and candy ready, Bro, because you're going to need it. Toads hate going anywhere near salt water. Even the air by the ocean is painful, and leaves our skin dry and itchy. I'm going to have to talk really quickly in order to convince anyone to do this, and the number of Toads who can do what you're asking for isn't huge to begin with. Best I'll probably be able to manage is near a stream that feeds into the coast." Frowning at the information, Naruto sighed. He did not mind spending the cash, but he did have to wonder if the Lizards would need this sort of treatment in order to help him out.

Still, it was the best option for the moment, so he nodded his agreement. "Alright Gamakichi, I'll take care of it. The important thing is to get Isaribi-chan to safety." At least the little punk had not tried to squeeze some extra snacks for his services. The Toads could be fun, but in all fairness they were not above a little extortion when feeling lazy. Still, he would start chatting with the Lizards when he had more time and opportunity. Like Toki-hime said, the more options you had the less you could be forced down an unpleasant path. It was actually one of the political lessons that he could actually understand.

Naruto was surprised as the little red toad jumped to his shoulder, face stretched in an amphibian smirk. "Oh, so the victim is named Isaribi-chan, is she? You sure do work fast, Naruto-bro! This girl must be special for you to go through all this trouble." Holding an arm forward, pinky extended, Gamakichi began to chuckle. "Or maybe, without that pink haired chick around, you've found a new girlfriend?" Naruto was so shocked by the suggestion that he nearly tripped over his own two feet, even while standing still.

Before he could refute the statement, though, a spike of something seemed to pass by his face. It happened too fast to track, but Naruto almost swore it was killing intent. While the blonde knew it was not aimed directly at him, Gamakichi was not so lucky. Turning a dusty brown, the little toad jumped from his shoulder as if he had been set on fire. "Well, that settles that! I'll go back home and chat with the others right away! Your lady friend will be safe and sound in no time at all! See you later!" Poofing away in a cloud of smoke, the son of the Toad Boss was gone before he could blink.

Still confused by the unknown feeling, Naruto turned to ask Hinata-chan if she felt anything, before stopping in shock. While the young kunoichi appeared to be completely relaxed, her Byakugan was active, reflecting a level of rage that he had never seen from the girl before. Then he blinked, and everything was back to normal. Turning, Hinata said in a clear, clipped tone, "Why don't we head back, Naruto-kun? I'm sure that Tsunade-sensei is beginning to wonder where we've disappeared to." Nodding slowly, the blonde followed the girl down to the hidden path. He was not sure what had set things off in the clearing, but Naruto knew one thing was now an absolute truth. He was never pissing off Hyuga Hinata as long as he did live. Something told him he would survive just long enough to curse said survival. Gulping, the blonde picked up his pace, unwilling to let the girl get too far ahead of him.

* * *

Closing her eyes in the torch light, Tsunade took another swig from her sake bottle. After the last twenty four hours, the blonde medic did not want to waste time on such things as taste and moderation. She knew she should be feeling happy and accomplished. After all, few if any other medics in the world could have done what she did today. But knowing the price of success left her feeling empty enough that not even Gamabunta's sake glass could have filled her up. Such was the curse of being a so called genius.

Oh, Isaribi's operation was a complete success, for what it was. Given their tools, and the limited resources that the cavern offered, completing the girls transformation in a mere six hours was nothing short of miraculous. Already, her enhanced healing factor was correcting the minor scars and cuts that had resulted from the procedure. Between that, and their medical techniques, the civilian would be ready to move by morning. For a medic of her experience and ability, it was a truly amazing sight to behold. If not for her exposure to Naruto's abilities, she might still be in shock.

However even the accelerated time table the surgery required, Tsunade still had many regrets. It just seemed to be foolish for someone so young to make such a decision for a few facial disfigurements. According to the blood work they had run, Isaribi had to get to the ocean within two and a half days, before her chemical breakdown reached fatal levels. To put it bluntly, the girl was chained to the water just for a pretty face. What sort of idiot did something stupid just to look like everyone else? Blinking, the blonde took three deep swallows of alcohol in rapid succession. The burning sensation helped to numb the memory of her little special seal and how it could be compared to the situation. She did not need shit like the truth ruining a good buzz right about now.

As a healer, Tsunade wanted to leave right away. She could keep the girl in a medical coma, seal all their supplies, and be leaping through the air within an hour. She had ridden the toads once or twice, and knew that they could cover significant distances if properly motivated. However, the ninja leader in her knew that was not possible. No matter how bad she felt about Isaribi's situation, she could not put her subordinates in such risk. While the transformed child could probably flee from anyone at this point, the rest of the group would be at too much of a tactical disadvantage. With the different groups looking for them, leaving a trail as obvious as giant toad prints would just be asking for trouble. Her subordinates were the first priority, while helping the civilian had to come second.

That's why she had Naruto contact the Toads directly. They had not had a chance to work with the Lizards yet, and the Slugs were too slow. Not to mention that Katsuyu would kill her if exposed to salt water. As much as it galled her, Tsunade knew that the Toad Tribe was the best bet that Isaribi had to stay safe. Even submerged in a salt water bath, she would have to be moved soon or risk permanent injury. She just hoped that Naruto would be able to convince them to put up with the inconvenience. After all, Toads did not like the sea any more than Slugs did.

Still, the Hokage wished that things were different. In a perfect world, she could have spent three months going over the problem, trying multiple paths of healing and experimentation. Perhaps, with more time she could even isolate the girl's original biology enough to grow a sample of her genetic material in order to fully reverse the experience. But that would take time and money that no one involved had, and Isaribi needed treatment now. With the involvement of Kiri, the girl was at serious risk and could not afford to wait. Even if they had returned the child to Konoha, her duties and the time draining manipulations of the ninja forces would have ensured that any cure would be too little too late.

Besides, her instincts screamed that more time would not have really solved anything. Even the best in the world has to work within the limits of reality. It was the only thing that got her to sleep some nights. The transformation was just too advanced for any treatment that currently existed, much to her frustration. It was almost enough to make her want Amachi around again, just so that she could wring his scrawny neck. Still, at least there was always Orochimaru to take her frustrations out on. It was not like he had not earned some punishment for his part in this mess.

"Tsunade-sama? I believe that it's my turn to take watch." Blinking, Tsunade noted the bowed form of Hana, her companions following with their tails between their legs. Fighting the urge to smirk, the blonde checked over the younger woman's body language before giving in. It appeared that the kunoichi had realized the nature of her rebuke, and would not do it again. She did want Naruto to learn a bit of subtlety after all. The last thing the kid needed was encouragement to take on straight out fights he did not have to.

"Very well, Hana. I'll leave the rest to you and your allies. But don't stress yourself out. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Seeing the acknowledging nod, Tsunade applied a bit of chakra to burn of the sake before going to bed. It might be a waste of liquor, but there was too much to do for her to put up with a hangover on top of everything else.

* * *

Taking a deep breath Isaribi reached for the offered mirror, forcing herself to look. Other than a glance at the surface of some water, the girl had not seen her own reflection in many years. But now, in that simple piece of glass, she saw something that literally moved her to tears. The face was not particularly pretty or ugly, but it was completely human without blemish. This was the first time that she had seen her own, human face in quite a while, and it was almost too much to bear. Handing back the mirror, Isaribi broke out in tears. Despite the trouble ahead, and her new transformation, for just a moment she could pretend that she was normal once again. That was worth all the pain that the medic claimed would happen.

Putting the mirror away, Tsunade smiled. "While I still think that you should have taken more time, what's done is done." Clearing her throat, the blonde medic was suddenly a picture of concentration. "Now, once you reach the ocean, remember that you need to swim at least two hours a day while transformed. The deeper the water, the better it will be for you. Never leave the coast for longer than necessary, because this will have to be your reality for the rest of your life. I did not put all that effort into your recovery, only to have you die from absentmindedness. Do you understand?" Feeling the weight of the question, Isaribi nodded as firmly as she dared. No matter what the woman said, this moment of validation would be worth it, no matter what the future brought.

Clearing her throat, Tsunade sighed. "Well, that's that then. Try to stay under the radar for as long as possible. We won't be able to come to your rescue again for a long time if ever. Once you hit the water that is goodbye. I just wish we could have met under better circumstances, Isaribi-chan. I wish you the best." Tearing up again, the civilian nodded once again. It had been so long since she had anyone to rely upon. Losing her place in the Konoha group, while expected, was surprisingly hard. Still, she would endure and thrive. She owed these people nothing less.

Stepping forward, Naruto handed her a scroll, smiling with an odd wistfulness, Hinata at his side. Seeing the two who had saved her, Naruto with his protection and Hinata with her kindness, Isaribi was at a loss for words. Because of their intervention, she was alive today, with the future at her fingertips. Nothing she could ever do would properly demonstrate her gratitude. But before she could even find the words, the blond forced a small metal tube into her hands, smiling. "You might want to hold onto that, Isaribi-chan. An old client in the old Snow Country, now known as Spring Country owes me a favor or two, so I thought I would write you an introduction. Just head north, and if you need the help look for the Daimyo palace and mention my name. Koyuki-hime should be willing to give you a break or two." Sniffing, the girl nodded her head, speechless. What was it about Naruto that made him so willing to help others? It was just beyond her to even understand.

Stepping forward, Hinata embraced her softly. "Be safe, Isaribi-chan. No matter what you may think or anyone ever says you do deserve happiness. Maybe we will meet again someday?" Returning the hug, the young civilian felt the warmth of companionship with an odd sense of despair. Suddenly, no matter how she looked, the girl could not help but wonder if choosing this path really was for the best. Being alone after having friends again felt horribly lonely. For the first time in nearly two days, Isaribi began to understand what Tsunade was trying to warn her about. No matter how beautiful or familiar the water, solitude would be a major part of her life from now on.

However, it was simply too late for regrets. As Shizune, Hana and company made their own farewells, Naruto stood to the side, making copies of himself. He did something that she could not quite make out, and then was surrounded by smoke. There, in front of him were two of the oddest creatures she had ever seen. One was a little red Toad, dressed in a small vest, while the other seemed to be a cross between a Toad and a water jug. "Don't worry about a thing, Isaribi-chan! Baa-chan will put you to sleep, while Gamakichi and his little friend take you to the ocean from here. Just get into the water and transform once you get there, and everything will be all set!" Gulping at the odd creatures before her, Isaribi firmed her resolve. No matter what her second thoughts, there really was not a moment to waste.

Walking over to the waiting Sannin, the girl knew that this was a turning point in her life. From now to the end of her days, she could no longer simply be the victim of some madman. Now she could finally be Isaribi, a strong girl who, while alone in body, would never be so in spirit. Feeling the green encased hand of the medic touch her forehead, the girl had a sudden thought. "Man, it's too bad that Naruto and Hinata are together. If it was anyone else, I might just give it a shot!" Then the teen only knew darkness.

* * *

Watching Hana and Shizune seal up the entrance of their little hide out, Tsunade tried her best to focus past her concerns. In an ideal world, they would have left first, covering and traces of Isaribi's departure with their own trails. Unfortunately, upon the completion of her recovery, it was literally a race against time. She was only lucky that Naruto had thought of writing a letter of introduction to that particular Daimyo. It had not even occurred to the blonde that the woman in question might actually like the boy personally, and thus be inclined to help them out under the table as it were. In the world they lived in, it was as close to a happy ending that one could expect. Nevertheless, all she could do now was trust Gamakichi and his companion to keep Isaribi safe. She had to worry about her own charges now.

Seeing that all preparations were complete, Tsunade turned to her fellow blonde. "Alright Naruto, it's time. Send the signal, and we'll give them a ten minute head start before the second wave is sent out." Nodding, Naruto made a Shadow Clone before dispersing it at once. That was the prescribed signal for their decoys to get a move on. Like their experience in Vegetable Country, Naruto had created nearly fifty groups of nine clones, transformed and grouped into different suspicious replicas of their squad. Five would act like the ninja while the additional four looked like transformed versions of their animal companions. So each group of clones was transformed trying to hide their transformation while allowing others to notice elements of the transformation. The mechanics of it was enough to give her a headache.

Still, given the traces they would lay down upon their departure from Crater City, Tsunade was sure they could develop their lead of a few days into a good week. That was the minimum amount of time needed to back track the different possible groups of clones, especially when they disappeared into thin air. Even to those villages who knew about the Shadow Clone technique, the idea that one person could produce enough clones to make that sort of smoke screen simply defied belief. While the strategy should, in theory, throw off any sort of pursuit, the Hokage knew that this was not a perfect world. So at best they could only hope their pursuers would be limited from the entire continent to two or three villages.

Yet a part of her was beginning to wonder if all this sneaking around was even necessary anymore. Both Naruto and Hinata had demonstrated a significant amount of growth, more than she had really expected. Between Naruto actually learning enough tactics to use his technique arsenal properly to Hinata's determination, they could probably take on an A-rank Jonin while working together. While they were not S-rank fighters yet, Tsunade could easily see both approaching that level from further work within Konoha. As it was, all this running around was starting to cut into the effectiveness of their training. Either they would soon have to locate a long term base, or return to Konoha to stabilize any long term training goals. It was a decision that she could not put off for much longer.

However, after a moment of deliberation, the blonde decided some more time on the road would not hurt their chances. While there were a lot of things they could learn in the village training grounds, real experience had a focus that could not be faked. As long as they covered their tracks properly, she did not see any problem in continuing as they had. Besides, if she needed to test their growth, there were plenty of methods of doing so. Maybe she would unleash the two on a few bandit camps as a sort of final exam. Or they could always deal with the next group of hunters in a more direct fashion. The Hokage knew she could afford to wait until then to make her final choice.

Checking the sun's position, Tsunade decided enough time had passed to make their escape. "Alright, we're going to head northward a bit and over the border. The sooner we leave the Land of Fire the better." Not to mention the less likely that the Daimyo would be to track them down and demand a meeting face to face. That was something she was not ready to deal with just yet. Of course, if her little apprentices did something particularly spectacular, she might just change her mind. Demonstrating that the two Chunin were worth the trouble would go a long way to shutting that old bastard up. Besides, even in a worse case scenario, Jiraiya would make a good Hokage.

Shaking her head at the thought, Tsunade smirked. "Now, there are still several groups in pursuit. We'll do our best to avoid them, but if any attempt to take you down, respond in kind. I want a message sent to any and all ninja organizations village or otherwise, that we are not easy targets. The more we take out, the fewer idiots who will think that Konoha is ripe for the pickings." Plus, Konoha would never have to be officially involved, so official retribution would be limited and easy to handle. Whoever said that she did not understand politics, obviously underestimated what was involved balancing gambling debts between dozens of yakuza groups.

"Our destination is Bear Country. Between the isolated location and natural defenses of the area, we will have fewer problems dealing with any interested parties. Now, let's move out." Leaping into the trees, the group acted as one, ready to take on all comers. Somehow, the blonde Hokage knew that they were going to need every bit of teamwork in order to deal with what lay ahead.

* * *

Authors Notes

You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging until next year, did you?

Actually, I had planned on making this a holiday present to the masses. Unfortunately, while some chapters flow like a river, this one felt like every key stroke was ripping out my brain. I don't know if it was the slightly rushed time frame, or the fact that I had to write in Gamakichi speak (which was surprisingly hard). Whatever the reason, it took way too long to finish.

Going back to work after a month on other projects was also a bit of an adjustment. Don t get me wrong, I loved National Novel Writing Month, and Different Techniques is always good for a laugh. But this is my first Naruto fanfiction, and thus has a special place in my heart. It also has a series of fairly strict guidelines that take a lot of effort to change, and can sometimes limit my creativity. Ah well, as the saying goes, if it s not broken don't fix it!

As to reviews, Kudos to all who enjoyed the fluff of the date! To those of you who are getting bored, I'm sorry but look at it this way. I've definitely compressed things down from the original source material. Otherwise, I would have added another twenty chapters of fillers! No one wants that!

Crater City was fun to write, and Isaribi offered a nice distraction, but in all frankness, I was getting bored of both. There are real adventures to have, political intrigue to thwart, and ninja to kill! Besides, having a super powered, specialized and emotionally unstable civilian along long term would not be productive. She'll be replaced, and with someone much better, I promise. But now Isaribi can go live her life safe and sound'

Now, let s deal with a much more important note. While I hope everyone had an excellent holiday season, this time of year, I get a little greedy. While I do not write for profit, there are a few things that would make my New Year that much sweeter. I can only hope that you, gentle readers will be willing to put up with my minor requests.

First, please go over to Different Techniques to read the latest chapter, A Different Shade of Blonde. I put a significant amount of effort into it, and would love some more exposure. To drop a minor hint, to all of those people who claimed that they liked my version of Ino-chan, she is featured rather prominently within said chapter. Go read and review, it will make you feel better.

Second, as I mentioned before, Sage of Seals had Escape from the Hokage's Hat as an entry in his poll. He has since reactivated the poll, and the story is solidly stuck in third place. Personally I would love to win said poll, and do not feel particularly bad about requesting support from my readership. I'm behind by about thirty votes and approximately two thousand separate readers have this listed as a favorite story. Please show your support and vote today! To get to said poll, check out my Favorite Story section, and click on the link to his author s profile.

Thirdly, please read and review the latest chapter here! Reviews just make me so happy!

But enough about my wish list.

Now, on to the next chapter! Sometimes the lessons learned are much to troublesome for anyone to deal with. Doesn't mean they can't still do their best! Stay tuned!


	39. Looking Underneath the Underneath

No I don't own Naruto. Although I do want to "chat" with whoever has been writing the filler Anime episodes...  
***cracking knuckles***

Chapter Thirty Six: Looking Underneath the Underneath

Sighing in irritation, Tenten took out another look at the street sign before mentally cursing. Ever since the invasion and Tsunade's journey, reconstruction had slowed to a snail's pace. Money that normally went into the infrastructure of the village from missions had mostly dried up, leaving the people of Konoha to their own limited efforts. While most of the clan compounds were secure, several of the residential spaces were left with simple patches that barely kept the wind out. As a direct result of this trend, she had gotten lost nearly ten times while looking for her target and it was beginning to piss the weapon user off. Removing a crude map from her pocket once again, the Genin sighed before taking a left instead of a right. That had tripped her up three blocks back and she did not want a repeat.

Still, these minor setbacks would not keep her down! Tenten was a kunoichi on a quest, and a few mismarked street signs would not deny her! While she was more or less happy with how things had been going lately, the girl was not known for slacking off. After all, the Team Gai motto was that every day was another chance to grow stronger than the day before. Ever since the mission to the Katabami goldmine, Tenten would spend nearly twice the amount of time on the training ground as before. Unfortunately, the focus of her latest efforts had hit a wall that she could just not force through, no matter how long she worked at it. That wall was known as the twin blades of Kurosuki Raiga.

Oh sure, when Neji had first suggested they take the missing ninja's head for his bounty, a part of her had shied away from the idea. No matter how monstrous the bastard had been, striking him down in front of a child just seemed wrong somehow. But Neji was their leader, and made a very good case for his actions. Between the acquisition of the swords for her own use, and observing the results of the Kurosuki family's reign of terror, Tenten was more than moved to take her teammates point of view. While she was not thrilled with Lee's attitude afterward, the kunoichi was more than willing to work past it. After all, with all her team had gone through a single mission would not be enough to break their teamwork.

However, Lee's attitude had led to problems when she attempted to master her new weapons. The weapon's mistress in training was forced to wait until standard practice was over before using the two swords, less the Taijutsu specialist started moping. The resulting emotional one eighty was more than enough to encourage her to hide her supplemental training, in the name of team unity. But weeks of effort had left her utterly frustrated. No matter what she had attempted, the two swords refused to give up their secrets!

Oh, she had mastered the basic mechanisms of their design. Hours had been spent learning the twin swords balance, length, weight through repeating sword forms and sparing with Neji. If they were normal swords, Tenten would have been more than satisfied with her progress and begun to focus upon integrating them into her personal armory. But she had fought against these blades while being used at their full potential. They had acted as both chakra amplifiers and lightning rods, demonstrating Raiga's fearsome power. Yet she could not replicate the effects! Despite every chakra focusing exercise and Neji's observations with the Byakugan, the twin swords gave little to no indication of their true powers. It was downright maddening!

Finally frustrated by her lack of progress, Tenten had given up and begged Gai-sensei for advice. Showing a surprising amount of tact compared to his normal antics, the Taijutsu master told Lee to lap around Konoha ten times on his own. The following conversation had been rather enlightening. While his focus was Taijutsu, Gai was still a Jonin and thus familiar with quite a bit of lore concerning Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and any number of other chakra manipulation techniques. While not an expert, from what he understood about the theory of such tools, they required a mastery of elemental reconstruction to be effective. If the blades had demonstrated special lightning powers, then she simply had to learn how to transform her chakra into the lightning element to use them.

Hearing that, the Genin had begged for training on the spot. Already, images of defeated enemies while her teammates looked on in awe filled her heart with glee. Unfortunately, Gai-sensei had been quick to burst her bubble. Training with Elemental Chakra was a very difficult process, and mastering the technique alone would not guarantee success. Without an in-depth understanding of the principles of her swords, she would never be able to harness them at their full potential. In addition, his elemental affinity was fire, so while he knew in general terms what was required to harness lightning chakra, he lacked the skill to train her to mastery. Discovering a solution, only to have it ripped from her grasp so easily left the bun haired girl frustrated beyond belief.

Luckily, she had refused to be deterred. After arguing with the Jonin for nearly fifteen minutes straight, making any number of threats to his mind and body if he could not help her, Gai-sensei had finally given in. He explained that, while not the most common element within Konoha, he did know of one ninja with a very advanced mastery of lightning. While he could not promise that the man would train her in the techniques she needed, her sensei had believed that he was the most qualified to help her. After hearing exactly who said ninja was, Tenten had understood his reluctance, but would not be deterred. If she was to reach the heights of Tsunade-sama one day, then she would have to take any advantage she could get. Apparently moved by her passion, Gai had supplied her with both a map and address before excusing her from training the following day.

Still, now that she was actually tracking the man down, the Genin did feel a bit nervous. Rumors about this Jonin had been spreading throughout the village, and just from what her own sensei had explained she was less than thrilled with the idea of working with him. Some called the man a failure while others despaired at his fall from grace. Although a few of the rumors were just plain crazy, Tenten had not come this far by ignoring any potentially useful information. Yet no matter what he had done, Gai-sensei had believed that he was the best to help her master these blades, so she had no other recourse than to try her best to convince him. For despite his actions or inactions he was still a powerful ninja.

Finally finding the apartment, Tenten swallowed before knocking firmly. If everything she had heard was accurate, then he was probably at home. Apparently, few people were in the mood to deal with her target at the moment. For one long second, she heard only silence. But then the door cracked and a familiar head of silver hair appeared. Remembering her manners, and hoping that the Jonin would not recall their last encounter, the Genin bowed. "Good day, Kakashi-san. I'm sorry to bother you but can I come in?" Seeing his exhausted gaze, Tenten only hoped that he did not wake up enough to slam the door in her face.

* * *

It took all of Homura's many years of service as a ninja to suppress an eye twitch as he read through yet another report. The longer he stayed still, studying the depths of Danzou's actions, the more he itched to use his Sensei's old technique and resurrect the bastard to kill over and over again. The old man had known that the ROOT leader was powerful, manipulative and the epitome of what it meant to be a ninja. If he had the choice and the votes, the councilor would have put the war hawk in place as Hokage upon Sarutobi's death. But what he was reading was downright unforgivable. Danzou had been playing them both for fools!

The code that the paperwork had used was child's play to unravel for one of his experience. The cipher was an old ANBU version that utilized more modern elements to distract the under-informed. After a few false starts, both he and Koharu had begun to read the material with the same speed as standard text. Quite a bit of it was fluff that, while useful in the big picture, did nothing to outline fulltime goals and methodologies. No, when they managed to discover those documents, it had triggered a sense of rage unknown to the old ninja since the loss of the Nidaime in the Second Great Ninja War. Judging from Koharu's own clenched teeth, she was just as outraged if not more so. After all, supporting Danzou had always been one of her strongest agendas.

Oh, they had not been foolish enough to trust the man completely. Both elders had been well aware of his issues with Sarutobi's placement and management skills, but believed they could properly deal with that. After all, as a proper ninja, Danzou was subtle in his methods, and would never put the village at risk for his personal placement. The old war hawk was a patriot through and through, and could always be trusted to put the needs of the village first and foremost. Their problem now, however, was discovering that the old man had equated his own survival and power as equally important to the village. The cold hard facts painted a man who did not live to protect the village, but viewed himself as the village. It was disgusting!

The first damning pieces of evidence were years of secret support for Orochimaru and his twisted efforts within Konoha. Homura had always been disappointed with Sarutobi's weakness in dealing with the Snake Sannin. In retrospect, the genius had been twisted for years, and ignoring that out of some outdated sentimentality was just poor form. Yet they had paperwork indicating that Danzou had supplied the traitor with resources, test subjects, and genetic samples for his experiments. In return, Orochimaru was involved with some sort of special project involving the Shodai and the Uchiha clans. That would have been bad enough, but finding traces that indicated that Danzou had supplied security information for the Chunin Exam Invasion was the final straw. No matter what his disagreements with the old leader, Homura had never wanted him assassinated so someone else could take command!

The worst part though, was the fact that such behavior was an ongoing trend! There were countless agreements with different villages and ninja clans designed to strengthen Konoha yet weaken the power of the Hokage. In his quest for power, Danzou had made agreements with any number of uncontrollableelements. There were plans and counter plans going back nearly forty years! Finding a letter outlining the destruction of the Hannya clan was bad enough. But discovering a treaty that created an arrangement with Hanzou the Salamander was just plain insane! In his quest for power, Danzou had put the village at risk nearly a hundred times more than Orochimaru and Uchiha Madara combined!

In comparison, the documentation concerning ROOT itself was rather tame. Homura had grown up in some of the worst times within the Elemental Nations. He had personally participated in two major ninja wars and any number of minor conflicts in between from Genin to Jonin. So the training methods outlined or the missions that were encouraged were nothing new to him. While he did not revel in Sarutobi's philosophy of pacifism, the elder would be thankful for a day where lasting peace would be possible. However, he was not so naive to believe that such a day was soon or Danzou's training was unneeded. So while the numbers of children who were dead and tortured in the name of power were unpleasant, it was nothing he could not deal with. In the end, it was just one more straw on a broken camel's back.

Yet, beyond his anger at Danzou's manipulations was a growing fear. Homura and Koharu had not gained their positions by being stupid. Anyone with a brain would realize that they had been supporting the war hawk, and that painted a massive target on both their backs. No matter how much they had done for the village, if some of this information reached the correct authorities, neither elder would have a pot to piss in. Doing his best to remain calm, the elder ninja made a few minor gestures in his personal signal code. Seeing his partner respond positively, Homura prepared himself for action. For the good of the village, they could not be dragged down by the ghost of a one armed traitor!

It was almost child's play to hide certain documents on his person. While most ninja of the current generation relied upon chakra above all else, Homura had been raised in a time when such energy was a last resort. Taking the most damaging of the documents to the toilet, he was secretly thrilled with the lack of reaction from their ANBU guards. Although the area was cramped, it would be more than enough to fulfill his needs. Running the sink, he concentrated the smallest amount of chakra he could to each finger. Just as his Sensei had shown him so long ago, Homura used the chakra to create a thin layer of water over his hand, before removing the vital documents from his person. With the energy infused liquid, the elder proceeded to alter key symbols on each textbefore removing all moisture from the paper. Hiding the documents, he then splashed water over his face before exiting the room. All in all, the entire process took nearly three whole minutes.

Homura was not so foolish to believe that destroying any or all of the documents would go unnoticed. If he was in charge of this operation, one of the basic tasks would have been to count and copy each and every single piece of paper in the room. However, by altering a line here and there on the text, the worst of the data was rendered harmless prattle. He had no problems sending Danzou down in flames, but better that he be thought of as senile rather than some evil mastermind. The man was dead after all, and the living had to continue on without him. After all, nothing would be gained except the imprisonment of both himself and Koharu, and how could they protect the village then? In the end it did not matter. They were all on the same side after all. Forcing himself to relax, the old man once again began to analyze the text in front of him, putting any and all doubts to rest with his many years of practice.

* * *

Smirking, Jiraiya rubbed his hands in glee. While still a little rough, he had finally made a breakthrough that would not only change the ninja world, but sink those two old farts at the same time! He had pushed for this sort of development for years, but the Sandaime had always denied his funding, usually at the request of his oh so honorable councilors. But with his current position coupled with the funds appropriated from nearly two hundred and thirty seven D-rank missions, he had more than enough pull to make his dream into a reality. Well, at least the dream that did not involve a couple of Red Light districts, a giant valley of mud and a volley ball.

The Toad Sage was in another hidden room within the Hokage Tower, lit only my emergency chemical lights. In the center of the space was a long desk, holding the culmination of years of theories and seal work. After it became clear that the Elder's would be completing their certification, he had put all his skills to the test to set this up. While he had been able to crack the majority of the codes involved with the ROOT documentation, Jiraiya lacked the time and ability to effectively sort through several decades of intrigue to find the highest priority pieces of evidence. That was when he had the brilliant idea to kill two birds with one stone.

Every single sheet of information within the elder's room was a complete replica, carefully crafted to match the original documentation down to the creases in the paper. The only major difference was a thin layer of chakra litmus paper within the center of each page. However, unlike normal chakra paper that would react to a person's elemental nature, this paper simply recorded any spikes in the chakra that contacted it exactly. Since all living things radiated chakra to some degree, even the slightest of reactions would have an effect upon ones chakra network. No matter how good you were, no one could really control their chakra to a degree that even a Hyuga could not notice. It made for an excellent way to test for emotional reaction, something that neither Homura nor Koharu denied themselves.

But that was not even the best part. Thanks to a few minor transference seals, he could track the results of those reactions without even seeing the copies again. It was a much simpler version of something that he had tired in Ame once, back when he was helping out a few war orphans. It was meant to be an early warning system if anything had happened to himself or any of his charges. The seal work involved for this project was much simpler, but required a lot more organization. Nevertheless, upon perfection he might just be able to create something that could send information reliably across vast distances without any chance of interception. But for now, he could take down two massive pains in the ass at the same time!

While he was able to contain both Homura and Koharu at the moment, as one of Konoha's most important spy masters Jiraiya knew the nature of the long game. Already pressure was coming down from the Daimyo to produce the two elders for a debriefing. It was mild at the moment, but that could change at any time. Plus, with Tsunade and the kids wandering around, the last thing he needed to do was encourage any sort of royal intervention. So the best chance for bringing things to a proper conclusion was to break the trust between the elders and the Daimyo. After all, any ninja worth their salt had a few skeletonsin the closet. It was just a matter of finding them.

For the moment, the best weak point Jiraiya had was their involvement with Danzou. Enough raw physical evidence had been retrieved to make the old war hawk a traitor one thousand times over. But that was not enough to sink Homura and Koharu. He had to demonstrate a level of depravity beyond what had already been found or a level of official sanction for such actions to sink those two. That way, they would either be labeled as senile or collaborators, which would be more than enough grounds to remove them from power. At least, that was the theory he was sticking with.

Hearing another minor ping, he looked over to the central table. There, spread over the entire length of the space was a massive scroll that was linked to the false documents. Whenever they were handled at all, a corresponding identification number would change from black text to green. However, if the elders expressed higher than average levels of chakra during the examination the numbers would shift from green to red. Then of course, if they attempted to use jutsu level chakra when handling any of the paper, it would shift to a deep violet. Already nearly forty percent of the documentation had been tested in this fashion. Now all he needed was for his resident genius level interpreter to give him the most likely order of importance based upon his observations.

Rubbing his forehead, the young Nara sighed. "Man, why did these old geezers have to be so damn troublesome? Alright Jiraiya-sama, I would work on packets A-17 and B-14 to start. They attempted to alter three samples in each stack, so they must be something pretty important. Oh, and I'd double check C-5 and D-23 as well, something about the timing on the spikes versus the amount of information didn't sit well with me." Finished with his report, the Chunin returned to observing the different ID numbers before him, checking each and every reaction from both timing and volume of chakra.

Smirking, Jiraiya let out a chuckle. "Good work, kid. I owe Tsunade-hime a big bottle of sake for pointing you out to me. Keep it up for another four hours and call it a day. Even ninja like those two need to sleep some time." Plus, since they had been going for nearly three hours straight the two old fogies would have to take a break before too much longer, even if the ANBU on site had to enforce it with a fire jutsu.

Nodding, the teenager bit back a yawn. "I hope this doesn't take too much more time. I've got to get back to my team before Ino beats up Chouji in sparring again. It's getting to be such a drag." Remembering a few of his own team moments, the Sannin patted the kid on the back before heading back to the main office. He could not stay away too long or people would get suspicious. Besides, he had some material to decode. He could not let some punk Chunin show him up completely after all.

* * *

It was a clear and crisp day, one where a person could train or relax with equal fervor. The birds were singing, the sun was shining and the temperature was neither too warm or too cold. Truly, it was probably going to be one of the nicest days of the season. So it came as something of a shock to Neji when a simple statement plunged him, metaphysically anyways, into a pail of ice water. "I'm sorry Gai-sensei, but I must have misheard that last statement. Could you repeat it please?" After all, for him to hear something so crazy was surely the sign that he had been near the flames of youth for too long.

Yet, the Jonin's expression did not change a bit. "I'm afraid that you did not misunderstand anything, Neji-kun. I really did send Tenten to seek the tutelage of my eternal rival Hatake Kakashi for some special training." Neji could only gape in astonishment, as every sign of Gai's body language screamed he was speaking the honest truth. He could not even enjoy Lee's gob smacked expression at the statement. Those little words from someone he trusted, even if he could not really understand the man, left Neji feeling lost in some indefinable way. It was not quite betrayal, but he had to admit that the sensation was similar.

Forcing the unfamiliar sensation down, Neji met his Sensei's eyes, finding himself increasingly irritated with the relaxed pose the other man maintained. "Why would you put Tenten in such risk, Gai-sensei? We all now know what sort of man Hatake Kakashi truly is." The Genin might not have the security clearance for some of the juicer gossip, but no ninja associated with Team Seven had failed to hear the stories about their leader. No matter how powerful a genius the man might be, the silver haired Jonin was clearly a failure as a Sensei. Between Kiba's absurdly vocal rants supported by Kurenai-sensei's word, no one in the know would trust the man with a goldfish, let alone a Genin student. The depth of his ineptitude was staggering, culminating in the near death of Uzumaki Naruto. That was one point that Neji would not forget.

The former clan genius had thought his feelings concerning the other boy's sealing were bad enough. But to discover from Jiraiya-sama himself that the only training that the blonde had received during the month off had been in a technique he had not even utilized in their fight left a bitter taste in his mouth. Instead, Kakashi had devoted all his efforts to training the Uchiha clan survivor in an assassination technique and stolen Taijutsu forms taken from Neji's own teammate. That spoke of a ninja not only without honor, but foresight as well. From what he could tell, at the end of the day, the Copycat ninja was just a hypocritical pervert. Yet this was the man that Gai-sensei had entrusted their teammate to?

Still radiating an unusual amount of seriousness, Gai-sensei sighed. "Neji, Lee, please take a seat. While I understand your concern, please allow me to explain before jumping to unyouthful conclusions. I would never act against the best interests of my precious students, so I ask you to remain calm." It was only with that comment that Neji realized his Byakugan had been inadvertently activated by his surging adrenaline. Forcing himself to calm down, and mentally berating his momentary lack of control, the young genius sat upon the ground, quickly followed by his teammate.

Standing before them, the Jonin closed his eyes. "I know that this is sudden, but it was not solely my idea. Tenten came to me, requesting special training in the use of two special swords she recently acquired on a mission. According to her descriptions, they were capable of throwing out massive electrical attacks. However, she lacked the ability to harness the same techniques, no matter how much effort she put in." Seeing Lee flinch at the comment, Neji narrowed his eyes. He knew that the Taijutsu specialist had concerns about their actions on that particular mission, but the Genin squad leader thought they had done nothing wrong. For all his vocal desires about being a strong ninja, Lee was oddly naive about some of the realities of their profession.

Either unaware of the byplay or ignoring it, Gai continued. "I immediately realized that the weapons required some sort of mastery over elemental chakra, the sort of rigorous training that is often reserved for Chunin level ninja. While my personal element is fire, I know enough about the training methods to have instructed Tenten in the basics. However, in this case, Kakashi was in fact my superior. Not only is he a master of lightning type chakra, but his father once had a similar weapon. It was considered a treasure of Konoha before being destroyed in a battle of the Third Great Ninja War. Given the nature of the twin blades, there is literally no one better suited to help Tenten within the scope of Konoha."

Listening to their Sensei's logic, Neji frowned. While alright on paper, in practice it just sounded like a very bad idea. Yet, before he could voice his disagreement, something happened that was so insane that it stunned him in place. Lee, who trusted Gai-sensei above all others, voiced his own disagreement. "I'm sorry Gai-sensei but I cannot accept that! Kakashi-san has shown himself to be most unyouthful, putting his students at risk through action and inaction! How could we possibly trust him with our comrade's safety after seeing what his actions cost Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan?" Swallowing, Neji nodded his own agreement. He never thought that there would be a day where his teammate could take the words right out of his mouth, but there it was. Suddenly nervous, he began to wonder if it was a sign of the Apocalypse. If so, he should probably start stocking up on canned food and extra kunai.

Sighing, Gai-sensei shook his head. "I applaud your youthful desire to protect your teammate Lee-kun, but it is unnecessary here. I'll admit that my eternal rival has lost his way, but we cannot give up! Once he realizes the actual nature of his mistakes, then I am sure that he can be redeemed. After all, no matter what his actions, at the end of the day he is still our comrade. It is only right that he help him rediscover his true power of youth!" Seeing Lee crying, begging forgiveness for his momentary lack of faith, made Neji nearly ready to throw up. Sometimes there was such a thing as too much youth, no matter what these two maniacs said.

Returning to his serious mode, their Sensei cleared his throat. "That's enough Lee-kun, for all is forgiven. What you must understand is that Kakashi is weighed down by burdens of his own design. Yet now those burdens blind him from the reality of his choices. The reason that most of his comrades refuse to forgive him is that he does not realize why he is being shunned, nor does he repent through word or action, and I am most tired of it. So now I will give him a chance to redeem himself with the aid of one of my most youthful students! If anyone can force him to face the truth, it is the fiery Tenten! We'll see how long he can hold onto that hip attitude when faced with her determination and passion!" It was only his long association with Gai-sensei that allowed Neji not to wince at the word choice used. After all, given some of the personal habits of the involved Jonin, that particular phrasing brought out mental imagery he did not want to deal with.

Watching as Lee once again embraced their Sensei, Neji decided right then and there to make a solemn vow. No matter what Gai's intentions or Kakashi's problems, if the silver haired Jonin harmed Tenten through action or inaction, he would remove the Jonin's reproductive organs without the use of Jyuken. His teammate was a strong Kunoichi, but the young genius would be damned if he did not back her up. After all, life would be somehow diminished without her around. Blinking at the odd thought, Neji returned his efforts to training. Once Tenten started throwing lightning bolts he was going to have to demonstrate his own growth as well.

* * *

Doing her best to remain still, Tenten did her best to study the Jonin's apartment. If she was honest with herself, it was not what the weapons specialist was expecting. Based upon the dirty literature he carried around and his odd personal habits, she was sure the place would be filled with all sorts of smut, possibly capped off with a couple of latex dolls in the corner. After all, this was an elite Jonin that avoided all personal relationships while remaining relatively cool to the populace. Even if his stock had fallen recently, how else was a single male supposed to live on their own? No one who read that stuff could be anywhere as innocent as someone like Lee, and Neji knew better than to indulge around her.

But, instead of some den of depravity and smut, the apartment was disappointingly normal. It was only about four rooms big, with a sitting room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a closed door which she assumed was his sleeping quarters. A small bookshelf on the side was completely empty of any obvious porn, instead holding a few texts on theory and the odd mystery novel. The only other furniture was the couch she was sitting on, the end table in front of her, a couple of chairs and a table with a couple of picture frames. Everything was a little dusty, but she had dealt with worse. In fact, given the lack of obvious clues about the man, she was just about to go examine the pictures before Kakashi himself entered from the kitchen with a tray of steaming tea and crackers. "I'm sorry about the lack of variety, but I was not expecting visitors today."

Nodding her thanks at the offered treats, the Genin took a cautious bite and sip before relaxing. While she did not think the man would be stupid enough to spike anything, it was always better to be safe than sorry. After all, Gai-sensei sometimes used the learning from the deep end philosophy himself. "Thank you very much, Kakashi-san. This is quite good." Seeing the other man flinch at the honorific Tenten kept her face calm. While it might have been better to call him Sensei, the honorific was a very calculated move on her part. Technically, Kakashi had no students and had not taught most of them anything of note when he did. While as a Jonin she probably should have shown a little more respect for his position, the kunoichi thought that adding an honorific at all was pushing it. If the weapon mistress did not need a favor, she would be thrilled with calling the other man mud.

Somehow taking a sip of the tea without removing his mask, the Jonin sighed. "So, what can I do for you this fine day, Tenten? Jiraiya-sama has me working on quite a few projects at the moment, so I'm a little tired. In all honesty, if someone was going to attempt to socialize with little old me, you would probably be on the bottom of the list of candidates. After all, dealing with one Jonin full time is more than enough for most people." Thinking of Gai at his worst, she would not help but shudder in agreement.

Forcing a sudden burst of nerves down, Tenten reached for one of her newer scrolls. "I was actually here to ask for a favor. We recently fought against a missing ninja named Kurosuki Raiga who was oppressing the workers at the Katabami goldmine. It was close, but my team was able to take him out to complete the mission and collect his bounty. However, among the spoils we acquired were his twin swords, which demonstrated the ability to manipulate electricity for offensive attacks. I've been trying to master them, but so far have had no success. Gai-sensei said that they probably required elemental chakra and recommended you to help with the training." Unsealing the twin swords, she held them out for examination. "Do you think you would be able to help me?"

Kakashi's face was impassive as he finished his tea. There was no change in body language at the sight of the swords, or her request, just a long drawn out silence that left Tenten feeling edgy. Perhaps she had been too blunt in her request? Maybe she should have tried to butter him up a bit first? If he rejected the idea, would she ever manage to master the swords? However, just as her mental litany reached the point of meltdown, the Jonin reached over the table to retrieve one of the blades. Before her shocked eyes, a bolt of lightning chakra traveled down the length of the blade without the slightest hesitation. Returning the blade to her arms, Kakashi seemed to smile beneath his mask. "Oh I think I might be able to show you a few tricks." The easy way he said this left her reeling. Suddenly, the difference in their ranks was much more notable.

Leaning back into his chair, the Jonin sighed. "The principles of the weapons seem simple enough. If I'm right, a user simply has to channel a little elemental chakra into them, which will amplify the effects by about a factor of thirty percent. A user could store normal chakra into the metal as well, enhancing their strength and sharpness, before converting the energy into lightening. Of course, over time you might be able to use the blades to harness multiple forms of elemental chakra, but I doubt that would be a good idea. Such training takes too much time to be effective if you split it like that, so you're probably better off focusing upon one element. After all, I'm sure that the results would still be most impressive." Picturing the horde of enemies she would be able to destroy with just a few lightning bolts, Tenten nearly cackled in glee.

Of course, that lovely vision was banished by the Jonin's next words. "Of course, I am curious about why I should train you. After all, you are one of Gai-sensei's precious students, and I am lower than dirt at the moment. Why would he trust your welfare to me when I am obviously such a failure? That man obsessed about beating me for years, and as such has an in-depth understanding of any technique that I could or could not show you. There is no way he wouldn't be able to help you with something so trivial." Hearing the apathy in the older man's voice, Tenten bit back a curse. This man's pity party was going to stop her from learning new and powerful methods of cutting down her enemies. That could not be allowed to continue!

Taking a deep breath, the kunoichi focused upon her instructions. Gai-sensei had been firm about the details. "Sensei thought you might take it like this. Therefore, he decided to give me something to barter with." Hoping beyond all hope that the older man would take the bait, Tenten closed her eyes before speaking. "He explained your current situation to me in its entirety, and is willing to allow me the chance to explain not only why he wants you to train me, but why your star has fallen so low. He honestly doesn't think you quite get it." Feeling a sudden burst of killing intent, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Yet all that was before her was the same, lackluster Jonin, who was gripping his chair arms a little tighter than before.

Knowing that she had his full attention, and hoping that this worked out like her Sensei had thought, Tenten licked her lips before continuing. "The reason that Gai-sensei is willing to allow you to train me is because he thinks you need a new perspective." Tensing for an argument, she sighed in relief as he simply gestured for her to continue. "The thing is, people are pissed about you not only failing your students, but only mourning the loss of Sasuke. They know that you blame yourself, but don't think that it's for the right reasons. What people think you should be doing, is mourning for the way you failed Naruto and Sakura, not the way you were unable to drag a traitor back into the light." At this point, she wished for some more space to maneuver than a suddenly cramped living room.

At first, it appeared that the Jonin had simply transformed into stone. Every muscle was taunt with the promise of pain, yet his chest seemed frozen in place. But then he blinked, and Tenten was confronted by a vision of an extremely angry ninja. Forming a fist, she could actually hear each and every one of his joints crack as one. "I'm sorry, but could you clarify that for me? I'm just a little confused." At that point, Tenten knew that she was not facing Kakashi the idiot, Kakashi the screw-up, or Kakashi the hypocrite. The man before her was Kakashi the Copy Ninja, master of one thousand jutsu. This was not someone to disregard, but to pray you never faced in battle. The contrast from earlier was almost like night and day.

Still, she had not faced the Flames of Youth for over a year for nothing. Meeting his gaze, Tenten kept her tone as even as she could manage. "Then let me ask you a question, Kakashi-san. Is it true that the only true technique that you taught Naruto and Sakura before the Chunin Exam's was the ability to walk up trees with chakra? Or how about the rumor that Uchiha Sasuke suddenly started pulling new fire jutsu out of nowhere over the course of the same period?" Seeing him freeze at the accusation, the Genin knew that she had hit a nerve. Thankfully, Gai-sensei had always shown her how to aim for her target, if she was willing to release the attack.

Feeling the tension in the room drop, Tenten allowed herself a sigh of relief. Seeing that the Jonin was no longer in the mood to slit her throat, she decided to push a little more. "I can repeat hearsay and rumors until I'm blue in the face, but let me tell you what I think from what I saw of the two. In the end, I saw two Genin who actually had what it took to be good ninja. With a minimum of involvement on your part, the dead last of his class who was covered in restriction seals managed to defeat the strongest Genin from mine. It was one part luck and one part guts, but he did it. Also, from what I can tell now that she has an involved instructor, Sakura is growing into an excellent Genjutsu type with some really scary Taijutsu abilities."

Seeing that she was not quite getting the reaction she wanted, the weapons mistress decided to go for broke. "The thing you should be asking yourself, Kakashi-san, is not, "Where did I go wrong with the Uchiha?" It's, "What would have happened if I had made the others stronger?" Would Sakura have been able to stop Sasuke from leaving in the first place? Would Naruto have been nearly killed twice because he couldn't go any farther on his own? It's because you're asking the wrong questions that you're not finding the right answers. At least, that's my opinion." Remembering the state that the mission had left her own team had the kunoichi biting back her own anger. No, Tenten had no pity for that particular traitor. No matter how deep the pit he had been thrown into.

The silver haired Jonin stood so quickly, that for a moment she thought she had gone too far. But instead of launching a strike, Kakashi walked over to the table she had noticed earlier. His body blocked most of her sight, but the Genin thought she saw a flash of something. But before she could try and see more, his voice broke the silence, heavy with some emotion she could not quite make out. "You've given me a lot to think about Tenten, but I thank you for your honesty. In return, I will honor the spirit of our little exchange. Meet me at training ground seven near the Memorial Stone after Gai lets you go for the day. After evaluating your potential, I'll see what I can show you. Is that agreeable?" Feeling a familiar weight at the evaluation comment, but knowing that she had asked for it, Tenten accepted before heading for the door.

Before she made it though, the kunoichi allowed her curiosity to get the better of her. Given the sparseness of the apartment, that last table almost called to her. Risking a quick look over her shoulder, Tenten felt her eyes widen involuntarily in surprise. The only things on the table were a couple of picture frames, shining in the limited light of the window. Kakashi was holding one, which meant that she could not see it clearly. But the other one appeared to be an old Team Group Photo, with a little Kakashi off to the side, flanked by some unknown brunette boy and a girl with purple facial marks. The thing that caught her interest, thought, was the blonde man standing in the middle. It was probably the cleanest picture of the Forth Hokage she had ever seen, but for some reason she thought he looked familiar. Shaking the odd thought off, the kunoichi briskly walked out the door, ready to deal with Neji's probable interrogation upon her return.

* * *

Leaning back into his chair, Jiraiya sighed in frustration. He had just finished translating the prioritized documentation from Shikamaru's calculations, and what he had discovered left him feeling sick. Even the fact that his plan to discover the best evidence had worked gave the Toad Sage no pleasure. The depths for what had happened left him realizing two, irrefutable facts. First, Danzou had been allowed to live for far too long. Second, and more importantly, his Sensei could never have done enough to make up for this sort of irresponsibility. In the depths of his own soul, he began to admit that maybe the Fire Lord had the right idea about Sarutobi-sensei. Some things just could not be forgiven forgotten or hidden to the point the God of Ninja would not know the situation.

In a few mere pieces of paper were hundreds of crimes that made his skin crawl. The one armed bastard had been sowing seeds of revolt for decades, right under the Sandaime's nose. Some was minor insubordination or intentional misinterpretation of orders that, while unpleasant were in no way unforgivable. But Danzou had toppled entire foreign governments without authorization only to improve his own standing. The hidden alliances and manipulations were horrifying, and clearly designed to unseat his sensei from power. But discovering his precious students from Ame had been targeted because of Danzou's manipulations left Jiraiya shocked down to the core. Truly, the bastard had not suffered anywhere near long enough under Cat's tender mercies.

Jiraiya had gone through war, pain and tears like any ninja that lasted five decades. It was only to be expected that, after all that time he would be a little numb to ordinary suffering. That was one of the reasons that he had limited himself to cursing upon reading the report about the ROOT base's death toll. But discovering the depths that Danzou had gone in his mad quest for power pushed his limit every time he dug deeper. The alliance with Orochimaru to fund experiments and supply test subjects was almost too much for him to bear. Why the hell did Sarutobi-sensei not deal with this when he should have? The only option that was even more terrifying was that the Sandaime knew and supported the asshole. That would probably send the Toad Sage packing to follow Tsunade into the wilds.

Thinking of the blonde, Jiraiya knew that he needed to get her back before too much longer. With the information that Orochimaru had worked with Danzou in some sort of collaboration, Jiraiya was itching to get his body under the knife to discover why. After all, with how power hungry the bastard had been, it was the only thing that made sense. Danzou would not have pushed for the title unless he thought he could back it up. Otherwise, he would have been satisfied with working through a puppet.

Still, as distasteful as the exercise had been, Jiraiya had nearly reached his goal. With just a few more official trails, he could use Danzou's misdeedsto take the two advisors down. While he had been willing to keep them around, both of the elders were rapidly becoming more trouble than they were worth. All he needed were some more indicators that official channels were manipulated to give Danzou enough rope to hang himself, and he could drag both Homura and Koharu into the deep. Otherwise, they might outlast him! Picturing the eminent fall of the two pains in the ass, the Toad Sage allowed himself a chuckle. Maybe they could ask the Siblings of Suna for some retirement points?

Deciding to take a break, the Regent resealed the documents into a special security scroll before continuing with the paperwork of his new position. While he made a point of ignoring most of the documents that reached his desk every day, using excuses about authorization and the like, the Master Spy did keep a fairly close eye on anything that might involve village security. In fact, as far as he was concerned, that was the only sort of paperwork that should reach the Hokage's desk in the first place. In all frankness, the amount of work he cut out with this sort of standard was downright criminal. He had half a mind of passing on his recommendation that it become permanent upon Tsunade's resumption of her duties.

Luckily, after his trying afternoon going through the dirty secrets of the village, most of the paperwork was fairly straight forward. The only thing that caught his attention was a request for some skilled labor to redo a few shops in the commercial district. Any construction concerning security, such as the main wall, had come out of the emergency budget. However, repairs to the stores and personal residences came out of the merchant's pocket, with most of the available funds being redirected to more important places. After all, if it came to the stability of the emergency shelters or someone's store windows, Jiraiya felt he had his priorities in order. With the recent economic slump, it must have taken the shop owners nearly every loan they could scrape together to get the skilled helpers needed for repairs beyond the average D-rank mission.

Still, this was a ninja village and as such any request for skilled labor had to be double checked to prevent infiltration from potential enemies. Jiraiya was almost hopeful that they had screwed up so he could deny their request, given that many of the involved merchants had chosen to act out against Naruto and his supporters in the past. But, after looking over the security procedures, it appeared that everything was in order. None of the personnel were new to the village, having documentation showing past jobs done there going over ten years back. In all frankness, the number of ninja who could pull off a cover of that nature for that long and still be a threat to the village numbered at less than twenty, and he had all that he knew to be alive under surveillance. Sighing at the lost opportunity, and reminding himself to post ANBU to review the workers just in case, Jiraiya stamped his approval before moving on to other issues.

* * *

Looking up at the moon, Naruto allowed himself a tired smile. As soon as they had settled down for the evening, Baa-chan had requested a small spar before dinner. With all the running and sneaking they had needed to do to get Isaribi to a safe place, this was the first time he had a chance to really cut loose with the old woman in a while. Honestly, after being so restrained for the last few days, the blonde ninja was just itching for some action! Of course, the Hokage had burst his bubble rather painfully over the next hour. Even after using nearly every technique in his library, and a few he made up on the fly, Naruto had barely managed to land a hit upon the kunoichi. His best shot of the evening had barely brushed against the sleeve of her jacket!

It was only in the dead of night, when the others were safely asleep that Naruto could admit Tsunade's real strength. Oh, he might tease her here and there, but the boy knew the truth. Underneath her drunken rambling and obsession with gambling was one scary ass enemy. Even when she held back during their spars, without his natural healing abilities and a few minor medical techniques, Naruto was fairly sure he would be a smear on the ground by now. Suddenly having a flash of insight, the blonde gave off a shudder. As much as he missed home and his friends, he was beginning to thank his lucky stars that Sakura-chan had not joined their merry little expedition. A pink haired kunoichi that could hit harder than she did now was to terrifying to even contemplate.

Yet despite the aches and pain of the days training, he was actually very excited. While he had not managed a clean hit during their fight, Tsunade-baa-chan had decided that he was advanced enough to warrant some awesome special training. Tomorrow, they would be learning the basics of Elemental Chakra training! For a jutsu nut like Naruto, this was a dream come true! In fact, the only thing he had worried about was leaving Hinata-chan behind. Such an awesome Kunoichi needed super training too! Luckily, Baa-chan had put his mind to rest, saying that Hinata had already shown the needed control and growth to handle the skill weeks ago. They just had not had the time to devote to it until now.

Upon having his concerns washed away, Naruto had spent the rest of the evening with his head spinning. The techniques and effects that Hinata-chan had reviewed with him sounded downright awesome, and he could hardly wait to get started! While the information was a little abstract, that did not matter to the blonde. Already, his imagination was filled with incredible battles where he could summon fire balls with a gesture, or zap enemies with a glare. It was almost enough to make Naruto revert to his habit of jumping up and down in excitement! Of course, being much more mature, he had simply hugged Hinata-chan while shaking from side to side energetically. Good thing he was more restrained now, because by the end of it the poor girl had nearly turned as red as a tomato. He was just lucky that she was willing to accept his apology so quickly.

A part of the blonde knew that this should not affect him so much. After all, over the last few months he had learned some awesome Taijutsu techniques, re-mastered the Rasengan to greater levels, learned a bunch of medical techniques, picked up some weapons training and even gained two new summoning contracts. By any ninja's standards, that was more than enough to make you a legend. Yet, despite these thoughts, Naruto's first love would always be Ninjutsu. There was no greater rush than unleashing a wave of destruction with just your own energy and a few hand signs. Next to Ichiraku Ramen, Ninjutsu training was probably his greatest addiction, and the boy was damn proud of it.

Biting back a yawn, Naruto checked the position of the moon before deciding that it was time for Hana to take over the next watch. The next day would be full of sweat and tears, at least if the blonde kunoichi had anything to say about it, and he wanted to be prepared. After all, this training would be a major stepping stone in his quest to be Hokage so he could not hold back! Then, maybe he would finally get to go home and see his friends. Blinking at the odd thought, he shook his head before making a Shadow Clone to fetch his relief. After all, the Inuzuka could be dangerous when first awoken and he had no desire to lose a limb by accident. Even if Baa-chan could just reattach it, that sort of shit hurt!

* * *

Shibuki knew that, as the proud leader of Taki, he should be very upset with the team before him. That they had nearly failed their mission due to the manipulations of a single Konoha Chunin did not speak well of his village or its strength. The mitigating circumstances concerning their mission parameters should not matter in the least. They were the cream of the crop, and should have done better. In all frankness, he should demote them all back to Genin for a few months of D-rank missions for this fiasco, and only if he was feeling kind. After all, as their leader he needed to set an example and punish failure to promote excellence. At least, that was the sort of thing his advisors liked to spout whenever he gave them the chance. So, because of their nominal success, and his own amusement with the situation, Shibuki decided to give them a little slack. After all, he should have expected the blonde loud mouth to come up with allies nearly as crazy as himself.

Leaning back in his chair, Shibuki allowed them to sweat for a few minutes before deciding it was not worth losing the rest of his day. "Alright, while it was close, I'll write this one up as a tentative success. Knowing Naruto, I would not be surprised if Tsunade had that scroll within the hour of your meeting. While there will not be any official reprimands for your actions, I would highly recommend that you take some time to train a bit before your next mission. We don't want this sort of thing to be a regular occurrence, now do we? Dismissed." Watching the team disperse, the young leader was almost expecting their leader to hesitate. After all, there was a reason that Foam was such a good ninja. He was always willing to do what was needed to protect the village, no matter what the cost. Ah well, this would go faster if he gave an appropriate opening. "Was there something that you needed, Foam?"

If he was surprised by the casual invitation, the Taki elite did not show it. Instead, he waited until the door was once more secure before standing to attention. "Shibuki-sama, I have always done my best to be a good and loyal ninja of Taki. I have served faithfully for many years, and like to think myself reasonably strong in the ninja arts. Yet that loyalty to the village is currently making me question your actions in this matter. I do not wish to offer disrespect, but your reasoning for approaching someone like Uzumaki Naruto with such an offer makes no sense to me. Is it at all possible for you to explain you actions?" Shibuki could not hold back a snort of amusement. By most standards, that little speech was enough to warrant a court marshal for treason. After all, the word of the village leader was law.

But the Taki leader was not in the practice of killing people who disagreed with him. Smirking, Shibuki cocked an eyebrow. "You know Foam, if you were just a little bit older, I might suggest you for service on my council of advisors. We need someone to be able to boil down hours of rhetoric into a few simple sentences. It would make the days go by so much faster." Enjoying the momentarily shocked expression that was quickly suppressed, he sighed. "However, I have no problem answering your question since I honestly believe that you'll agree with my motives in the end. Why don't you take a seat?" Watching the elite accept his invitation, Shibuki paused to gather his thoughts. After all, the layers of his little plot were a bit on the complex side.

Sighing, Shibuki decided to outline is as clearly as he could manage. "What you must understand, Foam, is that despite appearances the decision to approach that group was not some childish whim. I knew the risks associated with accepting Tsunade and her team into the village, but went forward anyways because I had faith in my decision and my knowledge of those involved. Most importantly, I knew that Naruto would never put us at risk when he could avoid it, so any such offer was going to fail from its inception. That did not mean that the action was without meaning." Watching the older ninja go stiff from surprise gave him a little glow of accomplishment. After all, the more the leader could keep his forces off balance, the more control he could put upon them.

Shaking his head, Foam swallowed a couple of times before responding. "Forgive me Shibuki-sama, but how could you be so sure? The information we have gathered about Tsunade's enemies have grown darker by the day. No matter what Uzumaki thought, what was to keep the Sannin from taking advantage of our hospitality? Surely or location is more secure than wandering the fields of the Elemental Nations for six more months! It's just bad tactical sense!" Coughing, Shibuki was pleased to see his subordinate calm down at once. He was willing to allow a little speculation, but outright disrespect was not now or ever going to be an option.

Seeing that Foam had regained his composure, the Taki leader smiled. "The only reason that you can say such things is because you don't know Uzumaki Naruto. While the reports of his treatment within Konoha are both horrific and disturbing, I doubt that he has changed too much at his core. In all fairness, Uzumaki Naruto is among the most bull headed, stubborn, and driven human beings that I have ever met. In addition, his word was his bond in both spirit and deed, which was quite unusual as far as ninja go." Pausing for a moment, Shibuki's next words were not quite so bland. "Naruto thinks of me as a friend and I view him in a similar manner. As my friend, he would never do anything to put me or my people in danger as long as he had the power to stop it. Knowing this, I doubt that Tsunade will want to argue about something that would not serve either group's interest in the end. The most important thing was to make the offer."

Frowning, Foam closed his eyes. "Do you really have so much faith in them, Shibuki-sama? Despite Jiraiya's efforts, the rumors from Konoha are hardly encouraging. No matter what her prestige, Tsunade appears to be burning quite a few bridges back home. All it would take is a vote of no confidence from the Jonin council and she would become a major liability. If someone else takes power within their village, our support could come back to bite us in the ass." Yet, despite his negativity, Foam's arguments lacked true conviction. That was the point that Shibuki knew he had won.

Smiling, the Taki leader unleashed his best evil grin. "No matter what certain parties within or outside of Konoha believe, I doubt the Senju Princess will go off quietly into the night." Standing, he decided this had dragged out for long enough. "From my point of view, this offer has gained us three things. First, Naruto now feels like he owes us one, and with the loss of ninja like Fu we need every marker we can call upon to retain our position. Secondly, the offer allowed me to warn him of potential risks, keeping my friend and, more importantly, a national hero alive and relatively well. Thirdly, it puts us in a better position to influence the Hokage, be it Tsunade, or eventually Naruto himself. Konoha might be a little shaky because of this power play, but I have no doubt that it will emerge from the storm stronger than ever. Meanwhile, Taki will be right there beside them, perfectly positioned to deal with any future trouble."

Seeing the awe reflected in his subordinate's eyes, Shibuki suppressed the urge to cackle. While he might not be the strongest ninja of Taki, at least he could lead his people effectively. Nothing could quite beat the rush of actually making a point that people would listen to and, more importantly, respect. Clapping his hands, the young man smiled. "Now why don't you go and take a break? After dealing with Uzumaki, I'm sure you could use it. Besides, I was planning on launching a few exercises in a couple of weeks, so you should rest up. Or, at the very least make sure your subordinates don't work themselves into the ground only to look foolish during the main event." Nodding his acceptance, the squad leader bowed before leaving to meet with his compatriots.

Once he was sure that Foam had gotten far enough away, Shibuki allowed his confidence to slip a bit. Oh he fully believed in Naruto's potential, and Tsunade of the Sannin had an impressive list of accomplishments, so his friend should be safe. Yet, given who was after the blonde, the young leader could not help but worry. Some of the rumored hunters were enough to turn his hair white. No matter what he had told his troops, Shibuki could not help be feel like things were going to get worse before they got better for his friend. Sighing, he decided to put it out of his head before getting back to work. The village security exercises would not plan themselves after all.

* * *

The kunoichi, dusty from the trail but otherwise alright, signaled for a stop before forming a series of tediously familiar hand signs. "Doton, Subterranean Shark!" Slamming her palms into the soil, the woman did her best to focus completely upon the sensations that the jutsu provided. Just as a shark could smell a single drop of blood from miles away, her technique sampled each and every above average chakra source within a five mile radius. While civilians or plant life would not provide enough energy to leave a proper trace, ninja launching themselves with chakra were quite distinctive. Yet, given the scope of their assignment, it was still like looking for a senbon in a haystack.

Over the course of a month, she and her squad had followed every lead off the grid with no backup. Between the strain of avoiding various border patrols and the headache of examining dozens of different signatures with no end in sight, her energy was beginning to wane. The tracking technique was useless above ground, so with all the tree hoping the stupid Konoha ninja liked to do, their mission was a long shot at best. However, fate seemed to shine upon them that day, because for the first time in far too long something unusual was picked up by her senses. Frowning, she turned to her superior. "Sir, I'm detecting something very strange up ahead. I think that we need to check it out."

Looking down his nose at her, the scarred form of their Asuma Shibito, elite Jonin and noted survivor of the Third Great Ninja War and squad leader for this mission snorted. "Oh, and what is it this time? Have you discovered some Genin training ground with children doing jumping jacks? Did a couple of tree huggers decide to challenge one another to a foot race for fun? Or, are you just desperate to avoid my wrath for these constant repeated failures? After wasting so much time in this stinking forest, my patience is almost at an end, girl." Wincing at the tone, she did her best to remain calm and collected. While she might be a Jonin herself, no one wanted to deal with Asuma, said to be among the few ninja of Iwa to see the Yellow Flash and live to tell the tale. Besides, there were much safer targets to take her frustrations out on.

Still, the sooner she defended herself, the sooner they could do something constructive. "No, it's nothing like that. The technique picked up traces of multiple launch points around a settlement three miles north. Given the effects, I would assume that someone was using the Shadow Clone Jutsu to set a false trail. But there are far too many clones for a normal ninja to be capable of making. I don't recognize the signature, but there is only one sort of creature that can produce that much chakra." Only her intensive training allowed the kunoichi to remain calm at that statement. No ninja liked dealing with a weapon of mass destruction after all.

Narrowing his eyes, the squad leader was suddenly all business. "So we might be dealing with an unknown Jinchuuriki? I didn't know those Konoha weaklings had it in them." Raising his voice, Asuma signaled the rest of the squad. "We're going to check this out, mission or no mission. If something like that is wandering around unchecked, then the Tsuchikage will want to know about it. Lead the way, girl." Biting back a sharp retort, the kunoichi leapt forward, her ponytail waving like a flag from her rush.

The edges of Crater City came into view in a mere fifteen minutes. They had made excellent time, and with the weakening of internal security due to Konoha's lack of man power, it was easy to do another series of readings without anyone being the wiser. In the end, the kunoichi found the true exit point nearly five miles from the city. "There appears to be a hidden tunnel that extends from the walls of the city, Asuma-sama, but the trail is definitely strongest here. It appears that someone summoned a couple of toads before sending them off to the coast, while the rest of the party headed north. The potential Jinchuuriki left with the northern group, and he was accompanied by the lion's share of the ninja. However, there are two immediate points of interest. First, Jiraiya's chakra signature is nowhere near here, so it's safe to say that the Toad's have a new summoner. Secondly, our target accompanied the northern group. That chakra signature is very distinctive."

Smiling a vicious grin, the elite Jonin cracked his knuckles. "So Tsunade of the Sannin was playing nursemaid to a hidden Jinchuuriki, huh? I do believe that an introduction is in order. Signal the other squads and prepare to head out at once. We have a Slug bitch to kill." Nodding her head, the kunoichi formed another Subterranean Shark, only this time she pulsed a specific order to the other Iwa trackers. Soon, Tsunade the Godaime would be facing the fury of sixty Iwa ninja without the walls of her precious village to protect her.

Oh, she did not think that the majority of their forces would be enough to cause any real damage. After all, Iwa could only spare them a bare fifty Genin for this infiltration, and most would be easy pickings. But the kunoichi knew that was what Genin were good for, to be expendable. While blinded by their blood and chakra, the blonde bitch would fall to the few elites seeded within the ranks who were actually expected to make the kills. In the end, she would go down in history as the kunoichi who helped destroy one of her village's biggest enemies. What were the deaths of a few weaklings compared to eternal glory? Sensing the other groups converging on their locations, she prepared herself for the real hunt that was about to begin.

* * *

Taking another deep, cleansing breath, Yugito reflected that the exercise had probably lost its effectiveness days ago. She had been left with Omoi and Karui for nearly two weeks now and there had been no contact from Kumo at all! Day in and out, when she was not running patrols to protect their position, the blonde Jinchuuriki was forced to act as a sounding board and referee between the two teammates over the most childish of reasons. In fact, she had lost count of the number of times their bickering had nearly attracted the attention of a Konoha border patrol. If not for a little quick thinking and a few false trails, she was sure that they would have been discovered quite some time ago.

Yugito was proud of her position as a Kumo kunoichi, and knew the realities of her lifestyle. Some day in the future, she could very well be asked to sacrifice her life or freedom for the safety of the village. Even without her Biju, this was the fate of more than a few ninja throughout history, and there was no reason to suspect that such a fact of life would change any time soon. But if she had to listen to Omoi describing the natural disasters that a squirrel gathering nuts might cause one more time, Yugito was sure she would snap. Or, at the very least, incinerate her teammates for some peace and quiet. Luckily, the presence of a familiar chakra signature allowed Yugito to relax. It appeared that her torture was about to come to an end.

Clearing her throat, which coincidentally sounded like a small feline growl, the blonde was thrilled to have both of her comrades shut up at once. "Look alive people, we're about to have some friendly company." Seeing that they were going to be quiet for a minute or two, Yugito sent out a small, precisely timed pulse of chakra. Keeping her senses open, the Jonin was happy to note that the signature wasted no time in tracking them down. Within a mere ten minutes, a slightly worse for wear Samui touched down nearby. After a few more minor recognition signals, their teammate was back in the fold.

Cricking her neck, the stoic kunoichi sighed. "I apologize for the delay in contact. Unfortunately, Jay was out of the village on a mission, so I could not send word ahead. The border patrols near Kumo have been heightened, and making it through undetected was much more difficult without a sensor-type ninja. I ended up skirting the border for three and a half days just to shake any tails. I hope that things have not been too difficult for you in my absence." Somehow, Yugito just knew that particular dig had been aimed at her, but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Deciding that they current location was probably compromised, Yugito led the squad further past the border of the Land of Fire, keeping both chakra and mundane senses at full capacity. Finally assured that they were secure, she turned to her fellow blonde, after glaring the terrible twosome into silence. "While it is great that you made it back safely, we should probably get down to business. Did the Raikage give you further orders concerning our mission, or is he declaring it a failure?" In all honesty, if it meant getting away from this team for a little while, the Jinchuuriki was willing to ignore the black mark upon her record if they had been ordered to scrap the situation.

Apparently, her enthusiasm had been noted, because Samui shot her a little smirk. "Sorry, you're not getting away from us that easily. While Raikage-sama is not thrilled with our lack of progress in contacting Tsunade directly, the other information we have acquired is more than enough to offset that. Between the traces we have analyzed about the group to the skin samples from Sea Country, we have provided the Intelligence Division more than enough to justify our continued pursuit." Frowning, the Jonin turned to address the rest of the group. "The only change to our overall operating procedure is to avoid a direct confrontation unless total elimination or capture is absolutely guaranteed. Now that other groups are launching their own attacks, Raikage-sama believes that the information that we can gather from their clashes is more valuable than launching one destined to fail." With that statement, Karui's face began to redden with anger, while Omoi kicked at a stone. Yugito knew that both ninja were proud of their abilities, and probably thought that this order called their competence into question. That had been one of their favorite hypothetical arguments since reaching the border of the Land of Fire.

Unwilling to put up with another solemn monologue or angry rant, Yugito coughed to get everyone's attention. "Well, now that our orders are settled, we should get back to work. Unfortunately, after so long the trail has gone a bit cold, so I need total concentration to find it again. Is that understood?" Seeing Omoi, Karui and Samui nodding their agreement, the blonde Jinchuuriki began to focus upon her senses once again. The sooner she found Tsunade and company, the sooner she could take a vacation. After everything she had put up with since starting this mission, Yugito felt she had more than earned it!

* * *

Authors Notes

Weeee, another chapter bites the dust, as my brain slowly breaks in two!

Sorry, it's been a long week. -_-;;;

Well, I've got to say that I'm quite impressed! For those of you who voted in Sage of Seal's poll, you exceeded my expectations, pushing Escape from the Hokage's Hat from third to tied for first within a mere twelve hours! Of course, Sage of Seals was a little surprised to, so he ended up closing the poll before victory was ours. Sigh, well, I'll try to keep an eye on it so when it opens again we can try for next time. Based upon what he said, I don't think we'll have another chance for months. Still, thank you everyone who took the time to vote, and please keep up that enthusiasm!

Next, I'm quite happy that most of you don't mind the timely departure of Isaribi. While I enjoyed working with her character, once you get past the surface she becomes kind of a flake. Will we see her again? Who knows what the future may bring. ;)

Oh, and for those of you who said that the original anime stated she was completely healed in the end, I'd like to say that we don't know exactly what that entails because we never see her again. I've seen numerous fanfictions where Tsunade did cure the girl, but only by leaving her with horrible scaring where the mutated flesh was removed, or she ends stuck on some isolated Konoha post on the coast. One of my guiding principles is that Every power has its price. In my version, this happens to be hers.

Now that the Sea Country and Crater City arcs are over, we can move on to even more challenging adventure! For those of you who thought I was sending them back to Konoha, well sorry but there's still so much left to do! However, as a little treat for all the reviews and well wishes, I'll give you a small hint. Team Tsunade will not be returning to Konoha or establishing its final solution until AFTER they visit Suna. I hope that you don't mind the spoiler, but I do believe that you ve earned it. :)

Yes I need to work with the Lizards more, but there just hasn't been any time!

Now, all I've heard on the side lines for quite a while is, "Where is the Elemental Chakra training?", "What's been going on with Kakashi?", and my personal favorite, "We want more big fight scenes!"

Well, now you know two of the three answers, I'm sure you can guess what will happen next.

Therefore, without further ado, here's the preview for the next chapter!

With all the power in the world, you are nothing without proper vigilance! Who knows who might take advantage of a single moment of inattention? Stay tuned!


	40. The Vengeance of Fools

No I don't own Naruto. I prefer less expensive DVD's...

Chapter Thirty Seven: The Vengeance of Fools

Cricking her neck, Tsunade looked over the eager faces of her younger apprentices with a smirk. While not her personal forte, you do not study under a man known as the Professor without learning quite a bit about elemental chakra. Although she viewed it as a simple stepping stone for further understanding the nuances of medical chakra, their need for offensive power had never been greater. Both Naruto and Hinata were years away from using medical techniques offensively, and could barely use them to heal a scratch at the moment. However, with his raw power and her control, a few high level elemental jutsu might just be the difference between life or death. After all, they had already been ambushed three times by three separate powers. Too many players were still at large to relax now!

Seeing that both students were focusing their full attention, the busty Hokage decided to start things off. "Today we shall begin your training in the arts of Elemental Re-composition, or the act of converting your chakra into one of the five main elements. Most ninja initially possess a predisposition to one or two different elements, but any ninja can normally learn techniques of any element. The only issue is that any non-aligned elemental technique will require more time, effort and chakra to master. However, your primary alignments can often offer a subtle understanding of your style and character, which is vital for maximizing your potential as a ninja." Seeing Naruto's eyes light up and Hinata tensing, Tsunade had to bite back a grin. While she thought their reactions were cute, it would not do to unravelthe dramatic moment!

Frowning, Hinata suddenly spoke up, breaking the tension anyways. "Tsunade-sensei, what are the actual differences between elemental chakra and medical chakra? During our training, I've worked a bit with both, and the change is really noticeable. Won't it be hard to utilize both in combat?" Seeing that the Hyuga was shrinking at the lack of response, Tsunade hurried to smile encouragingly. Although the question was a little unexpected, given the source, it just showed a deeper understanding of the material than anticipated. There was no reason to discourage such useful impulses.

"It's not that using them together is difficult as much as impossible. Elemental chakra involves molding your expelled chakra into a different element while Medical chakra is pure energy manipulation and direction using only the Yin principle. Even with my control, I wouldn't want to try and mould a medical technique while maintaining an elemental one. However, that's not exactly what I meant by understanding the subtleties of your elemental alignments." Pausing a moment, Tsunade tried to remember the way that Sarutobi-sensei had explained it. He was always better with words than she could ever be. "Let's take me for example. My chakra nature is primarily an earth alignment, and it shows in the way I act both offensively and defensively. My taijutsu is overwhelming offensive when attacking, but focused upon stability when defending. All my ninjutsu are tied up in medical techniques for the most part, working from a support position by design. My genjutsu techniques are intended to be both long lasting and difficult to undo. All of these facts reflect from my primary elemental nature, and can explain a lot about who I am as a ninja. Therefore, knowing your elemental natures will help do the same for you."

Seeing that their eyes were beginning to glaze over, Tsunade sighed. "Well, let's just concentrate on learning your elemental affinity right now. The rest will come with time. Just know that it is unusual for a medical ninja to learn many elemental techniques. Training in such methods detracts from the time you have to learn medical techniques, and as such few have the time or stamina to manage it. However, as my apprentices, I will hold you to a higher standard, so you'd better be ready to work harder than we have managed until now!" Ah, there was the fear and awe she craved. It was the reason that most Jonin took students in the first place after all!

Cracking her knuckles one by one, the elder kunoichi sighed. "Unfortunately, since we're out in the woods, the standard test is not an option. Normally, I would have you channel chakra into a special paper made from trees raised by being fed the energy in careful doses. However, the material is rather expensive, and the black market price for the quality available was just not worth it. So instead we get to do this the old school way." Flashing through hand seals, she raised her hands before forming a whitish sphere of chakra. "Elemental Veil!"

Maintaining the technique with the ease of long practice, she held it up for their examination. "The chakra paper I mentioned is a modern convenience, but back before the era of the Great Wars, no one had the ability to nurture such a resource. Instead, any number of clans simply focused upon developing a single element nature based upon their family s predisposition, despite individual alignment. However, a few clans, including the Senju, developed pure chakra manipulation exercises that could give a more accurate understanding of someone's elemental nature. While they've fallen into disuse, I learned this one as a control exercise when I wasn't much older than you. Now, who wants to learn their elemental chakra affinity? All you have to do is channel chakra into this sphere and I'll take care of the rest."

Jumping forward, Naruto was practically buzzing with energy. "Oh, let me do it, Baa-chan! I can't wait to learn what my elemental affinity is! I bet it's something totally awesome!" Reaching forward, the boy released a blue wave of energy that nearly destabilized the technique. It was only due to her control and foresight that the entire sphere did not explode in their faces. Instead, it turned a bright yellow tinged with blue.

Nodding at the results, Tsunade shook her head. "You really do like being a surprising little brat, don't you Naruto? The yellow means that you have a very strong wind affinity, while the blue tinge means you have a much weaker water affinity. That's really rare in Konoha. In fact, I think that we only have a single Jonin in our ranks who regularly uses wind chakra right now. That's going to make training somewhat problematic, but we'll work through it. Now Hinata, I believe it's your turn." Stepping forward, the Hyuga channeled her own chakra, weaker than Naruto's but still impressive, into the once again pristine sphere. This time, the color was a deep, shining blue with a tinge of brown on the edges.

Deactivating the technique, the blonde Hokage nodded. "Alright now, that I was expecting. You have a very, very strong water elemental affinity, with a slight earth affinity. This, I can work with easily." Shaking her hands, Tsunade reminded herself to put a little bit more into her next sparring session. She had been using the Elemental Veil for years, but these two had made it shake with their released energy. She must be losing her touch for such a dramatic reaction.

Putting the odd sensation from her mind, Tsunade gave the two Chunin another scary smile. "Alright, now it's time to move onto the main event! A normal ninja learns the first step of elemental chakra training within a year or so. However, since we don't have that sort of time, we're going to cheat a bit." Punching a nearby tree, she ignored the flood of leaves, knowing that each and every one would be obliterated by the end of the day. "Make some shadow clones and get to work you two! We're burning daylight!"

* * *

Lying on her side Tenten stared into the darkening sky, gasping for breath. After spending over a year training under Gai-sensei, the kunoichi knew that she should be used to the effort by now. The spandex wearing ninja was, despite his energetic nature, a harsh task master. There had been many training sessions where she could barely find the energy needed to move by the end of the day. Despite its effectiveness, she knew that only someone driven or insane would ever seek out Gai-sensei's training. She just prayed that she was among the former, no matter what some people thought. After all, the results spoke for themselves.

Yet, after working with Kakashi for an afternoon, Tenten was beginning to understand why the two Jonin were rivals. Over the course of two hours, she had been forced to unleash every single technique in her arsenal, leaving the training ground a scorched, metal covered wasteland. But despite all her efforts, her superior was standing untouched, headband firmly in place and hated book still in hand. The most galling thing was, after all that effort, he had only used his Sharingan once to stay safe. The rest of the time had involved simple dodges and deflections. For the girl of perfect aim, it was downright galling!

Seeing him turn the page of the trashy novel, the young kunoichi was almost tempted to lob a kunai at the damn thing. Of course, that thought brought her aching ribs into focus, as a reminder of what happened the last time she tired that. Forcing herself to stand, Tenten did her best to stare down the Jonin. "So Kakashi-san, what did your little evaluation teach you? Or do I need to keep going?" Honestly, even getting her ass kicked again would be better than this stupid apathy.

Not bothering to raise his head Kakashi responded, not even having the decency to be out of breath. "No, I think that was enough. Although I believe that, if we're going to be working together you really should call me Sensei." Biting back her retort, Tenten nodded. Closing the book, the Jonin seemed to smile with only his exposed eye. "There, that will make things much easier. Respect is a vital component of any student teacher working relationship. No matter what you might think of me, at least respect my position for what it is." Narrowing her eyes, the Genin remained silent, not trusting her voice.

Clearing his throat, the Cyclops sighed. "Well, let's get to it then. While I am impressed with your aim and endurance, I have to say you are rather specialized. During your entire assault, you only utilized three paper bombs and one fire technique. While the mechanics of storing a jutsu for later release are a little advanced for your age, the fact you only utilized one indicated that it was some sort of trump card. Therefore, it's safe to say that you have below average chakra endurance that you use prepared seals and projectile weaponry to offset. Not a bad job, but not a great sign for you elemental chakra training. It appears that to be effective, we'll have to work upon your endurance as well." Hearing her entire fighting style broken down so easily Tenten allowed herself a brief moment of annoyance. It might be accurate, but that did not mean she had to like it!

Reaching into a pouch, Kakashi pulled out several sheets of paper. "Still, a deal's a deal. These are pieces of chakra paper, prepared from special trees that are raised on chakra. They react in different ways when you channel chakra into them. For example, I am a lightning type, so when I channel chakra into the paper it crinkles like so." Holding up a single piece of paper, she was surprised to see it wrinkle from the slightest burst of energy between his fingertips. "If you're a fire type, the paper will burn. A water type will make it wet. An earth type will make it crumble to dust. Finally, a wind type will make it split in two. Just take a sheet and channel a bit of energy. Even if you're not a lightning type, developing your primary nature will be good practice for developing a secondary alignment."

Taking a piece of paper, Tenten focused some of her remaining energy between her fingertips. Much to her delight, the paper crinkled while the edges began to darken. Looking over her work, the Jonin did his eye smile again. "Well now, isn't that lucky? Not only is your primary elemental chakra type lightning, but you have a fairly strong secondary alignment for fire. Perhaps it was fate that gave you those blades?" Hearing that little comment, it was all she could do to hold back a snort of laughter. The last thing she wanted to do was get Neji back on his fate kick, but taken in that context it was rather amusing.

Walking over to one of the more intact trees along the perimeter of the training ground, Kakashi reached up to grab a leaf. "I'll show you the basics of both elemental training techniques, but don't expect miracles. It normally takes at least a year to master one element, so this will probably take some time. Traditionally, Konoha ninja use leaves to express their chakra as part of their training. So, for example, the fire exercise involves forcing your chakra to burn a leaf. However, using a leaf is actually the second level of lightning manipulation." Holding up the plant life for her examination, Tenten was shocked to see a stream of electricity dancing along the edge before the leaf went up in flames.

Discarding the burning refuse, Kakashi continued on without pause. "The leaf is used in the second stage to build up speed and control. Using too much lightning at once just sets the thing on fire. However, a skilled user of lightning can make the electrical current dance within the water of the plant for at least five seconds before the whole thing goes up. So, to build your ability to channel electrical charka, we'll work with something you're more familiar with." Moving almost faster than she could react, the Jonin launched two kunai at her feet. "Take those and concentrate on forcing your charka between them to generate a spark. I don't expect much after your earlier demonstration, but we have to start somewhere, right?" Nodding in determination, the kunoichi grabbed the kunai, ready to get to work.

* * *

Holding back a yawn, Naruto pulled the tent flap closed behind him. While all levels of awesome, Elemental Training had to be some of the most exhausting shit he had ever dealt with. Even keeping it down to twenty clones practicing wind manipulation and five clones working with Hinata for water manipulation was nuts. They ended up spending nearly three hours trying to split or soak the leaves respectively before Baa-chan would let them get some food. Of course, with the nature of the Shadow Clone technique, that equaled over three days worth of effort hitting him all at once. Yet, after all that, he had barely managed a single nick while Hinata only gathered a few drops of condensation. Even re-mastering the Rasengan did not leave him this mentally and physically drained.

The really annoying thing was that he had gotten practically no help from Baa-chan at all! Oh, she was more than willing to show him and Hinata a few tricks when it came to water manipulation. Sure, it ended up being a bunch of random sayings and nudges that sort of made sense, but mostly just gave him a headache. However, she had no idea about how to help him with wind manipulation, since there had never been a Senju in her memory who had used the bloody element. That meant that for about four fifths of his training, Naruto was on his own! Given how hard the training was in the first place, it was damn frustrating!

Even the scrolls that she had stored in the Hokage Hat were not of much help. In the history of Konoha, the only thing rarer than a wind user was a new kekkei genkai clan. Thus, despite some decent descriptions about how to avoid wind techniques, there was not much written about how to train in said techniques. Anyone who knew the methods usually were expected to develop them independently, and pass them down to their students or family. Out of the dozens of available techniques, only about six of them dealt with wind manipulation, and all required a mastery of the element that he just did not have yet.

Still, it was not all bad. Learning water manipulation along with Hinata-chan had been kind of fun, and he was really impressed with the girl. She had only been using three Shadow Clones, but managed just as much as he had. Given the difference in their respective stamina, it was just another sign of how good his friend was at her particular element. The way her face lit up with at that initial success was as welcome as it was cute. Plus, seeing Hinata around water always gave him pleasant flashbacks to her water walking training. Hastily wiping a drop of blood from his nose, the blonde tried to focus on getting ready for bed.

It was not like he was a complete idiot. Naruto knew that Hinata was a precious person to him, especially since they had started working together under Baa-chan. The more time they spent together, the cuter she seemed to get, and he was enough of a boy to notice that. He had not been kidding when he told her he enjoyed spending time together, and only hoped they landed in another town soon. When they were together, he could almost see himself following Sakura-chan's request that he find someone new. If the first date was that much of a blast, then a second one would be just as awesome! It might even lead to a third or fourth! Judging from her smile and closeness during the festival, he could almost believe that Hinata felt the same way.

However, no matter how cute she was, a part of Naruto felt bad thinking about the girl like this. She was not some magazine model or hostess showing off the goods for tips. The Hyuga was one of his friends, and deserved more respect than that! Even if she was pretty well built by the standards of their graduating class, Hinata was not a sex object. That did not mean that his hormones had ignored her physical development during their constant working together. Judging from the smirks on Tsunade-baa-chan, Hana-sempai's and Shizune-nee-chan's faces, he was not being very subtle either.

Sighing, Naruto did his best to put his current teammate out of his mind. After all the work they had put into training today, he just knew that tomorrow was going to be even worse. He enjoyed getting stronger as much as the next ninja, but this was going to be downright frustrating. But mastering his abilities was not the only concern. Figuring out the wind element was going to be hard enough, but controllinghimself around Hinata was just as important. He did not know what to describe what they had, but he did know it was becoming only more important the more time passed. Frustrated and distracted, the blond punched his pillow before forcing himself to close his eyes. Hopefully, his dreams would give him some peace for a change. He sure as hell could use it.

* * *

Asuma Shibito, High Jonin of Iwa and leader of his current mission, allowed himself a satisfied smirk. His command had reconvened nearly six hours ago, hungry for blood. While his tracker had trouble finding a decent trail, given the tree huggers tendency to launch themselves through the air like apes, the unknown Jinchuuriki was more than strong enough to sense from a distance. Despite some feeble attempts to suppress his or her chakra, the sheer volume of energy present had allowed his tracker to find the creature in question. After that, it was a simple matter to confirm the presence of Tsunade, the slug bitch of Konoha. Now with all the targets in place, it was just a matter of time before his sensor kunoichi initiated the attack. Once this was all over, he would have to remember to give her a commendation or something.

Allowing his head to emerge from the solid earth, the Jonin gave the camp a single scan. There were a total of four tents surrounding an extinguished camp fire. Using his connection to the surrounding earth, the Jonin did not detect any chakra sensitive traps or exploding tags, so the group was probably hoping for safety in obscurity or some such bull shit. The only guard was a single figure leaning against a tree. Judging from the build and a smaller shape next to the ninja, he would guess they were dealing with an Inuzuka bitch. Remembering the friends and comrades lost to those dog loving freaks in the last war, Asuma bit back a growl. Iwa had learned their lessons the hard way, but those were the sort of results that stuck.

A familiar vibration made him break into a evil grin. It appeared that the enemy was finally asleep enough to start the party. Lowering himself back into the earth, the leader let out a simple series of chakra pulses. The Iwa Academy had drilled any number of techniques and strategies into the heads of their Genin since the last war, and dealing with an Inuzuka guard was second year material. Feeling the return pulses, wild and fluctuating by his standards but no less clear, the Jonin allowed himself a wicked smile. He pictured the ninja circling the camp from underground, acting as a pack of moles only deadlier. Safely underground, the Inuzuka would not smell a thing, while the chakra manipulation would be covered by the millions of living and dying organisms that lived beneath the surface. Each of the selected Genin might be expected to die, but they would serve their purpose well.

The idea was simple in theory, but annoying on execution. Each of the fifty ninja would use a standard earth chakra exercise to surround a prospective target. Then, they would launch offensive techniques from underground, doing significant damage before taking the fight up close and personal. Best case scenario had the enemy forces dead before anyone stuck their heads out. Worst case scenario meant that every attack would miss and they would have a very angry reception. However, given that nearly fifty ninja would be launching those attacks, Asuma was not particularly worried. Part of the graduation exam involved coordinating with a random selection of prospective Genin to accomplish this very maneuver. Most experienced Iwa Genin could do it in their sleep.

Oh, this strategy was not perfect by any means. Most ninja who were able to mold earth type chakra to such a degree still had to check above ground to keep an eye on their target. Even chakra sensors tended to lack the precision and power required to lock onto their target and move around underground without being detected. However, when dealing with a single camp of unsuspecting tree huggers, firing attacks blindly was more than enough to turn the tide. It would probably not be enough to kill Tsunade, but it would probably take care of at least one of her escort. That was more than enough of a reason to pull this off.

Mentally counting down once again, Asuma decided that it was time. Letting out another timed pulse of chakra, it was only a moment before another much stronger pulse was reflected back. The earth heaved and shook as the first round of attacks was launched, followed shortly by a second and a third. In his mind's eye, the Jonin could almost hear the cries of pain and suffering, see the cracked skulls and spilled blood of his enemies. He took these images into his heart and reveled in them. For this was an attack of Iwa against the elite of Konoha, and every drop of blood they spilled was something to be cherished.

Feeling the familiar chakra of the remaining elite s approach his position, Asuma put his game face on. While none of the Iwa ninja would actually see him while submerged, now was not the time to let his attention wander. Soon the small fries would crash against the might of Tsunade of the Sannin, simple pawns in this game as they were always meant to be. But once the Sannin's nose was bloodied, her allies bleeding across their campsite, his fellow elite would rise up and deal with her properly. Today was a grand day to die, but it was an even better day to kill. Building his chakra, it was all the man could do to avoid licking his lips in anticipation. A mouthful of dirt at this vital juncture would have been beyond humiliating.

* * *

Far into the future, Hana would say that the night of the Iwa attack would be one of the major points in her life where she thanked her lucky stars that she was skilled enough to warrant three companions. Without her two dogs in the trees, it was more than likely that she would have died with the first attack. The rate of fire was furious, a wave of stone spears splitting the star filled sky in an artificial avalanche. Any normal Inuzuka would have been caught unawares, losing their life and the life of any companion. As it was, the extra second of warningthat her ascended scouts provided was just enough for an evasive action. Despite the resulting gash, the kunoichi was damn lucky and knew it.

She had actually been aware of possible surveillance for nearly a full day, smelling the stench of foreign chakra on the winds. However, not only was the actual amount being obscured by the distance and the relative strength demonstrated, but there was no real proof that it was related to their movements. Bringing it up with Tsunade-sama, the blonde had decided to set a small trap to draw out any enemy presence. Hana was clearly an Inuzuka, and the general Intel on the clan would give any opposing force certain expectations. However, lacking a bingo book entry, Hana's three familiars as opposed to the standard one was not well known. Therefore, any force that attack would be blindsided by the unexpected backup long enough to allow the Sannin to end the fight. It was a sound strategy on paper, but in practice their arrogance had almost gotten her killed.

Feeling another kunai nearly graze her already wounded side, the kunoichi yelled out an alarm. Even without her shout, she was sure that everyone in the camp had noticed the attack. It was rather difficult to ignore the tremors from so many falling boulders and earth spears after all. Still, the shout made her enemy pause, if only for a moment. That moment was all the woman needed to change the flow of battle in her favor. On her packs honor, by the time she was done, no enemy would be left standing!

Forming a couple of quick hand signs, Hana released a low powered fire technique right into the smoldering coals of the fire before shutting her eyes. Upon setting up her night watch, the Inuzuka had added a few extra chemicals to the dying fire. When ignited, that particular compound acted as a rudimentary flash bang, perfect for distracting large numbers of enemies. The remaining heat was insufficient to set off a reaction, but the chakra fueled fire was more than enough to activate the effect. Hearing an unfamiliar cry of surprise, she grinned like a feral beast before biting a soldier pill. Feeling the energy flowing with renewed vigor, the vet formed another set of hand signs before slapping her bleeding side with a glowing green palm. The technique was nothing more than an over inflated bandage, but it should last long enough to deal with the threat.

Unfortunately, the enemy had not been standing idly by. Even as Hana moved across the clearing trying to smell her enemy's location through the heavy dust cover, a kunai nearly impaled her from below. Leaping into the trees, she could barely make out the image of a ninja rising from the ground like water, blade in hand. Before she could even contemplate launching an attack, the figure was joined by nearly ten more unknown ninja, all holding weapons aimed in her direction. The kunoichi barely had a moment to let out a growling curse before a rain of steal flew towards her. Luckily, she had just enough time to use a replacement technique before becoming a pin cushion.

That did not mean she was out of danger. Hana discovered that the enemy was either faster than she was expecting, or much more numerous than normal. They continued to attack with a silent ferocity, never giving her a chance to take back control of the conflict. Each clash herded her away from the clearing and her human allies. Whoever they were dealing with knew how to deal with her tactics, was completely ruthless, and cared for nothing more than ending her and her comrade s lives. It was like she was facing automations rather than ninja, and if she could not smell their flesh, spraying chemicals of anger and some sort of sick pleasure, she would have freaked out a lot more by now. As it was, Hana was actually beginning to get a little desperate.

That was when her luck ran out. One of her replacements was anticipated, and the enemy launched a kunai into her path. The searing fire in her side left the Inuzuka howling in pain and anger. Some primal part of her aspect began to bleed into her psyche, leaving a building rage in its wake. Her howl was answered as her two uninjured partners, who had been keeping pace but unable to intervene. Letting her instincts take over, Hana chomped another Soldier pill before rushing towards the ground. She was done playing these cat and mouse games. These fleas had signed their own death warrants with an attack upon the pack. She would show them what it meant to threaten an Inuzuka in such a situation, until the ground flowed with both their piss and their blood! Crouching before her surprised enemy, Hana launched herself forward, sharpened fingernails shining like talons in the thin moon light.

* * *

While it had been a while since the last Great Ninja War, Tsunade had never lost certain instincts. Although she had spent years wallowing in pain and self hatred, memories of war were a constant companion. No matter how much she drowned in gambling or alcohol, the blonde would never escape her past actions, despite how hard she tired some days. So when she heard the sound of Earth style techniques and Hana's shout of alarm, every single nerve went from idle to screaming for movement. That quick action saved her from a rather nasty gash to the side, as a limb flashed through the ground, blade in hand.

Seeing the blade retracting after the near miss, the Sannin decided that she would be having none of that. Taking a second to grab the Hokage's hat at the side of her bedding, filled with secrets and supplies that could not be lost, the kunoichi launched a strike directly into the ground, releasing a pulse of earth chakra along with her own notable strength. The effect was instantaneous, smashing the ground like an oversized sledgehammer. Tsunade did not waste time in one place, knowing the result from long experience. Any ninja hiding beneath the ground would have been pulped from the concussive force. This was one of Iwa's favorite tactics during the war, and she was more than ready for it.

Ignoring the thin fabric of the tent, Tsunade leapt backwards to prepare for the next assault, securing her hat as she went. It did not take long for a bloodied hand to appear from the edge of her attack, desperately grasping at empty air. Without a second thought, the blonde reached down to rip the limb out like a weed. Seeing the bleeding ears and shattered teeth of her prey, the kunoichi hardened her heart before punching him between the eyes. This was not a situation where she could afford to hold hack. To do so would put both her and her fellow ninja in danger. Dropping the now headless corpse, she did her best to extend her senses, forcing chakra through her feet. Iwa style ambushes were tricky things, and she could not rest for an instant.

She did not have long to wait. The force of her attack had probably killed several of the submerged enemy ninja, but the opposition apparently still had bodies to burn. She could hear Hana's growls and howls of battle, pain filled cries from both Hinata and Naruto's tents, and a familiar purple cloud from the far side of the camp. This attack was very well planned, and far beyond what she expected when Hana had warned her earlier. However, she would have to trust that her companions could hold their own for a bit. Dozens of stone spears began to fly towards her position, requiring her full attention. The medic would not be of much use later if impaled a dozen times over, after all.

Dodging with an almost lazy ease, Tsunade began to analyze the strategy in front of her. Most of the spears were near misses, or mistimed badly enough to strike other projectiles. That meant multiple attackers, and not particularly skilled ones at that. The tactics screamed Iwa, but the skill level could not be much more than Genin. Narrowing her eyes, the Sannin took a second to smash a lucky shot with her finger. Some genius had once said, "Quality over quantity is all well and good, but sufficient quantity has a quality all its own." but to assume that a few dozen Genin were sufficient to take out someone of her stature? It was clear that these punks needed a lesson in respect!

Satisfied that she had a reasonable fix on the location of the attacking force, Tsunade released another pulse of chakra, this time through her foot. This time, she kept her focus upon the energy, allowing her to sense the nearly two dozen attackers that had perished from her attack. However, linked to the earth in such a fashion gave her an image of nearly ten additional signatures along the edge of the camp. Each was much stronger than the rabble before her, and was therefore the greater threat. Allowing herself a moment to confirm the chakra signatures of her allies were all still strong, the blonde gave off a dark smirk. No one had the right to lead only from the back, after all. It was time to turn this ambush around.

Gathering more chakra to her legs, Tsunade leapt into the night. While Jiraiya's Sage techniques allowed for more power, such a technique was more than this trash deserved. A mere thirty feet into the air, the Kunoichi dropped her heal into the soil her targets cowered behind. The medic in her took no comfort from the screams of pain and surprise. Such blood and death went against everything that she believed in, violating any number of professional oaths. But the Sannin, baptized in the flames of war and loss, allowed herself a second of pride. It was time for the predator to become the prey, because no one threatened those precious to her and lived!

* * *

Hinata had fallen into her bedding in a boneless heap. Very few Hyuga participated in Elemental Training, focusing most of their efforts in the perfection of Jyuken and other Byakugan related techniques. Therefore, she was somewhat unprepared for the difficulty of the process. Forcing her chakra to take on elemental aspects was hard enough, but running Shadow Clones at the same time was a whole new level of pain. By the time they had called it a night, every single inch of her body felt like it had been hit by a club. It was only her determination not to look weak in front of Naruto that allowed her to finish dinner and make her way to bed.

That being said, after a mere four hours of rest Hana's alarm was more than enough to bring her back to full awareness, doujutsu blazing. Seeing the figure beneath the ground, kunai aimed at her skull, Hinata acted on pure instinct. The hidden weakness of the Byakugan was something that only a true genius like Neji could overcome. It was the basis of every single circle based attack within the Jyuken, and the only ones who had nothing to fear from the blind spot where either those too fast and strong to receive an attack, or the dead. However, after being around someone like Naruto, the young girl was more than prepared to flaunt the standard. Forcing chakra into that one point, she unleashed a beam of chakra at her enemy. The force was insufficient to kill through the chakra manipulated earth, but it was more than enough to deflect the incoming blade. By the time the opposition was able to launch another attack, Hinata was on her feet and ready for battle.

Seeing the figure launch himself forward, Hinata wasted no motion. Deflecting the kunai with a negligent flick of her wrist, the kunoichi launched a strike at her opponent s forehead. The enemy managed to use the deflected force of her initial strike to shift out of position, but it was too little too late. Instead of a relatively painless death from a ruptured brain case, the unknown assailant instead had his left eye explode. Hinata prepared to follow up, but need not have bothered. The force of her initial strike had shattered the surrounding bone, sending fragments directly into the figures brain. Keeping her Byakugan active, she was treated to the sight of his chakra flow flashing rapidly before burning out. It was all she could do not to vomit.

However, there was no chance to relieve her tension. Apparently attracted by the thrashing of their dead comrade, three more figures launched themselves through the soil like divers leaving a pool. Thinking fast, Hinata trailed a flash of chakra over her head, slicing the tent in two, before leaping back to get some room. Blinded by the tent fragments, the new assailants were unable to react in time before she launched herself forward in a counterattack. This time she kept the deaths clean, rupturing their hearts before any additional techniques could be utilized. Taking a deep breath, Hinata forced herself to focus. She had no time to waste on feelings, especially when she could see the sheer number of enemies available.

Taking stock of the situation, she sighed in relief when the familiar signature of Naruto-kun flashed to her right. He had already taken out nearly five enemies, and had another Rasengan formed to strike. Tsunade-sensei was calmly wiping out the legion around her with little to no trouble, releasing massive bursts of chakra into the ground and extinguishing chakra signatures like birthday candles. Shizune-sempai was surrounded by her own wall of attackers, each dropping from the poison cloud, while Tonton hid in the bushes. Frowning, Hinata turned to the far side of the camp. It appeared that Hana-sempai was taking out her own opposition, but her chakra was fluxing dangerously, along with one of her canine partners. If they did not finish this up soon, both might be seriously injured!

Seeing another pulse of chakra beneath her feet, Hinata launched herself to the side just in time to avoid the stone spear. Despite Tsunade-sensei's ferocious attacks the number of attackers from bellow was still more than she wanted to deal with. Closing her eyes to focus, while maintaining the Byakugan just in case, the young girl channeled chakra into her fist. Taking a deep breath, she launched an attack of her own at the ground, focused upon her enemy. In response, the floor of the clearing shook in a most satisfying manner.

While she had mastered the basics of Tsunade-sensei's strength technique, Hinata was honestly just expecting to shake the enemy up enough to emerge into range. However, she had not expected her focus to direct the chakra through the earth so cleanly. Similar to her new personal technique, "Six Strikes of the Plum Blossom," she had somehow molded her attack as a thin beam of energy that pierced the chakra signatures beneath the surface. Realizing that only one signature had been taken out directly, while two more had broken from the strain of the pressure, Hinata put it out of her mind. The battle field was not the place to test and perfect new techniques after all.

Seeing that her strike had managed to scatter the surrounding chakra signals, Hinata turned and ran towards Naruto. Tsunade-sensei could take care of herself, Shizune was manipulating poisons that would kill her just as easily as the enemy, and Hana was too far away to reach in a timely fashion. Therefore, her best option was to team up with her friend and take care of the enemy. The sooner this was over, the better for all their sakes! Once again focusing chakra to her hands, the Hyuga rushed forward at full speed, ready for anything.

* * *

Naruto had been enjoying a good night's sleep so far. Ever since they had hit the road, Tsunade made a point of only watching over him every other evening. She said that it was to build up his confidence while still providing support. Personally, Naruto wondered if he just snored so badly that she did not want to deal with it. Still, the blonde Hokage never failed to train him into the ground as much as she could get away with, leaving him too exhausted to dream. That was just another reason that he was grateful to Baa-chan. Even if she was awkwardsometimes, the woman always managed to show how much she could care, while leaving his pride more or less intact. At least, until his head grew too big.

So it should not be much of a surprise that, true to his blonde roots, the boy did not wake up at the sound of the attack. Some part of his subconscious had, over the last few months, simply attributed any crashes or destroyed earth as a sign that Tsunade-baa-chan was pissed or in the mood for some torture known as training. However, Hana's panicked shout was a completely different story. Nothing got Naruto moving like a comrade in danger. Reacting like the hyperactive, half asleep teen he was, the Chunin launched himself upwards in an effort to react in time. Of course, he then had half a second to realize that he had grabbed onto the top of his tent with chakra before fully waking up.

While less than graceful, Naruto's leap had saved his life. Looking down, the blonde's eyes suddenly took up half his face. Two kunai were sticking out of the ground right where his skull and heart would have been. Frowning at the sight, he made his favorite hand seal, launching a trio of Shadow Clones at the ground while trying to remain stable on the roof of the tent. The last thing he needed was a bunch of sharpened metal in the foot!

Landing on the shredded bedding, all three clones launched a series of punches straight down. Unfortunately, even with his strength none of them could make a dent. It appeared that, from the time he had gone to bed to now the entire floor of the tent had taken on the consistency of granite. The clones were only able to release a couple of desperate attacks before spears of stone launched up to meet them, making all three disperse in a cloud of smoke. Assimilating the memories of his failed copies, the original Naruto narrowed his eyes. Feeling yourself run through from three different angles was better than a shot of espresso, and he was more than ready to devote his full attention to the problem.

Holding his hands downward, Naruto formed two Rasengans before releasing his grip on the tent. Allowing gravity to do the majority of the work, the blonde demolished the offending earth techniques, blasting a crater down nearly ten feet in diameter. The resulting backlash destroyed his tent, but that was not a major issue. The partial remains of nearly five bodies appearing beneath the surface were of much more immediate concern. Feeling the blood and bone fragments covering his feet, it was all he could do to restrain his bile. Hearing another attack from the side of the side of the crater, Naruto forced himself to form another Rasengan to meet the charge. There would be time to worry later, but now the others would need his help!

Another stone spear, this one nearly three times the size of any previous attack, attempted to pin him to the far wall. Using the newly formed Rasengan to deflect the technique, Naruto launched himself out of the crater and into the open. With so much more space to move, he felt confident enough to send help to his friends. It was the work a moment to make a dozen Shadow Clones to back everyone up. However, the pack barely managed to leave before the ground moved to swallow them whole. This action brought a frown to his face, even as the horrifying memories returned. It appeared that this unexpected enemy knew about the limits of his favorite technique.

Suddenly, he was surrounded as nearly a dozen unfamiliar ninja came up at once. Getting into his own ready stance, Naruto was surprised as a sudden odor in the air. Hana had taught him a lot about his sense of smell, and what he was detecting now was unmistakable. This group had begun to stink of fear as soon as they had come above ground. What the heck had set that sort of reaction off? Whatever it was, the scent dispersed after a moment only to be replaced by a fairly strong killing intent. It was not at Zabuza level, but for someone they had never met, these guys seemed pretty pissed.

Deciding that a new tactic was in order, Naruto enclosed them all in a dome of darkness. Killing was not his preferred way of doing things, but he did not have time to waste. If there was one thing that all those lessons about anatomy were good for, it was killing quickly and effectively. Stalking the nearest, unfamiliar chakra signature, Naruto was quick to twist the enemy's neck before stealing his kunai. Hana still had all his new weapons, and it was not like he slept with a weapon under his pillow or something! At least he was not going to carve them into dust with his chakra. Running both techniques at the same time was too much trouble at this point anyways. Hearing the panicked shouts of the others, the blonde got to work.

* * *

Shizune had three major advantages going into that evening. The first was Hana's warning that, even if Tsunade was not particularly worried, she was not stupid enough to ignore. Hinata and Naruto simply were not told because there was no reason to distract them during training for a possible coincidence. The second was that, after dealing with her Mistress's lifestyle for so long, the brunette had long ago learned to sleep with one eye and one ear open for trouble. Thirdly, she had her familiar Tonton there as backup, with a nose used to rooting through the earth for particular roots and anything unusual. So the first barrage of attacks had barely landed before she was up, armed and ready for action. That was where is all sort of fell apart.

For all her preparation, the enemy still managed to frustrate the brunette with their counters. Attempts to stab them with senbon were matched with Earth Walls and hardened skin. Poison Clouds and taijutsu were avoided by sinking below the surface before sniping with spears of stone and quicksand. While the enemy ninja did not know a lot of techniques or vary their tactics very much, Shizune was still having trouble dealing with their numbers. She knew that she could take any one or even five of these kids in a fight, but they refused to give her one. It was almost like the opposition had been specifically trained to counter medical ninja fighting techniques! Blinking at that last thought, Shizune fought back a groan. Knowing their situation, that was probably the case.

Well then, if fighting like a medic was not going to work she would simply have to change the rules. Channeling chakra to her legs, Shizune leapt towards the nearest tree, clinging to its surface with ease. She did not have long to wait before a pack of three ninja launched themselves to meet her, kunai in hand. However, out of the protective barrier of earth, she was easily able to deflect their strikes with her own kunai, stabbing one in the eye and another in the throat before breaking off her attack. The remaining opponent seemed to fly into a rage, only to smirk when one of his comrades launched another stone spear at her back. Of course, Shizune was sure his expression of surprise when her body was replaced with a log would have been priceless, if he was not pierced by the same attack moments later.

Hiding behind a nearby tree, Shizune stayed hidden as the ninjutsu user rose from the ground, only to be confronted by the sight of his own dead comrade. Forcing herself to act, the kunoichi launched a quick emotional genjutsu on the figure, not much older than Naruto and Hinata. Too inexperienced to notice the effect the enemy flew into a rage, launching attacks at the trees with reckless abandon. Of course, with the number of wild attacks moving through the soil, nearly another eight enemies were forced to surface. That was when the kunoichi made her move.

Forming another series of rapid hand seals, Shizune cast a fear genjutsu on about half the opposing force. Just to be careful, she then layered an image of Tsunade-sama on top of that, taken the last time the Sannin had been on a bender. As expected, the effected ninja started screaming in fear, forming hand seals at a rapid pace. Unfortunately for them, that caught the attention of the berserker, who also began to form hand seals. Caught by surprise the unaffected ninja attempted to restrain and dispel the effect, but were simply too slow. With a mighty crash, the effected ninja managed to nearly wipe each other out to the man. Dropping from her position, Shizune took care of the injured with a quick stab to the temple and some fast acting poison. There was no reason to be cruel after all.

Sensing another flex of chakra from behind her position, Shizune was quick to dodge to the side. Once again, the enemy was a younger ninja attacking with a kunai. The only difference was that this enemy was launching a significant amount of killing intent and out massed her by a significant margin. Unwilling to waste the time that would be required for a poison to be effective, Shizune quickly flew through a new set of hand signs before sending a jolt of electricity through his stomach. As expected, the attacker lost control of his movements, dropping the kunai and falling on his face. Sighing at the waste, the medic once again ended an enemy's misery, stabbing the boy behind the ear this time. So much bloodshed was simply a shame, but the safety of her comrades came first.

Releasing another cloud of poison gas to clear the area, Shizune began checking for traces of her comrades. Judging from the flaring chakra and screams coming from the right of the camp, Hinata and Naruto were working well together. The trembling earth was more than enough proof for her to know that Tsunade-sama was on the attack. However, the cries of Hana and her companions were weakening, leaving the brunette concerned. Crouching down, she released a quick pulse of chakra into the ground, only to sigh in relief. She might not be an earth type ninja, but sending out a chakra pulse to track submerged ninja was well within her abilities. As far as she could tell, the enemy forces directed towards her destruction had been dealt with, so there should be no problem aiding her comrade. Checking on Tonton's position, she grabbed another senbon before heading back into battle. The sooner this was all over, the sooner she could try and salvage her supplies. She had liked that tent, damn it!

* * *

Looking at another dead comrade launched through the air, the Iwa Jonin wondered how the attack could have gone so wrong. Shibito had known that Tsunade was not someone to take lightly. He had lost enough friends and comrades to the bimbo's fist to acknowledge her strength, with or without the title of Hokage. However, there was no way that a few tree huggers from Konoha should be able to overwhelm his forces so easily. Yet here he was, looking at the bloody remains of his elite unit as the blonde bitch made launched yet another attack at him. Had that damnable village really grown so strong, even now? Or had Iwa simply become that much weaker? Either was a chilling prospect.

There was no reason that the ambush should have failed so spectacularly! These tactics had been developed over the course of years, carefully taking the skills of any and every type of ninja in the Elemental Nations into account! No one could beat an Iwa ninja when it came to manipulating the earth element, and no one had such access to their element in battle besides a Kiri ninja on the ocean. The world was theirs to mold and twist, and the other nations would be wise to remember that! Unfortunately, this group had remembered that, and planned accordingly, deflecting and destroying their offensive with frightening ease.

Anyway, the ninja doubted he would survive the next ten minutes. Tsunade was ruthless, taking on all comers with a frightening ease. The Genin force in the camp was dropping like flies, and the chakra signatures of the opposition were still relatively strong. As Shibito watched his sensor kunoichi fall with a senbon to the eye, he knew no one else was left. He might not be a sensor himself, but any Iwa ninja could track chakra through the earth with enough practice. Between a Sannin, a Jinchuuriki, and three other Chunin to Jonin level ninja, he was well and truly screwed. That only left him with his final solution.

That was when everything seemed to freeze. Hearing a roar that sent a chill down his spine, the Jonin ignored the furious attack of Tsunade to turn towards the clearing. The figure was shorter than he remembered, but some things were as clear as day. That spiraling sphere of death, combined with blonde hair sent chills down the man's spine. But watching his last Genin subordinate die spinning through the air as the boy turned in his direction, blue eyes icy in the moonlight, filled the Jonin with an awful dread. It was impossible, unbelievable, and beyond his comprehension, but Shibito knew in his heart of hearts it was true. The Yellow Flash of Konoha had been reborn!

The day that he had faced Namikaze Minato, before he gained his title or position as Yondaime Hokage, was the day that defined him as a ninja. Before that battle, Shibito Asuma was simply an average Jonin thrown on the front lines with reckless abandon. Iwa was winning the war, pushing back both Konoha and Kusa with relative ease. He had already participated in a dozen successful campaigns, wiping out enemy ninja left and right. Victory was so close that the younger man had almost tasted it, raising the sake glass in good cheer every chance he got. It was to be a golden age, and nothing could stop their greatness!

But it all changed with that accursed technique. The Iwa Jonin had been forced to watch as his fellow ninja were mowed down like wheat. That time manipulation technique was beyond their understanding, and made him grit his teeth in remembered frustration. Luckily, he had been on the outskirts of the techniques range, so the wound was not quite lethal. Still, the scars from that day had put him out of commission for nearly three months, and by then it was too late. The golden age of Iwa was lost, and Konoha was once again on top of the food chain of the Elemental Nations.

While some had turned to alcohol, drugs, or suicide to try and forget the resulting shame, Shibito was not one of them. Instead, he used that memory and the resulting hatred to push himself harder and longer in training. Ruthlessly using his reputation as a survivor, the Jonin climbed through the ranks, taking any and all missions that would allow him to face and kill Konoha ninja. His goal was to cause Konoha pain, even if he could never defeat the Yellow Flash on his own, every dead enemy ninja was another drop of blood spilled in vengeance. In fact, the only thing that made him stop was hearing about the death of the Yondaime while facing the Kyuubi. That news had made him go out and celebrate like a much younger man for nearly a week, before continuing on his blood soaked path.

But now the Yondaime was before him once again, and the Iwa ninja knew fear. If not for the near impact of a thrown tree, he might have stood staring at those blue eyes in horror for hours, refusing to believe what was before him. But then it got worse. The blonde stepped forward, preparing that horrible technique once again and Shibito knew three things at once. First, the one he was facing was not the same Namikaze Minato as before, given a few key facial differences. Two, the chakra signature of the assumed Jinchuuriki was moving in his direction, making the blonde his secondary target. Third, given the tradition of the Kages sealing the Biju into their families, he was most likely facing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki child of the Yellow Flash. His potential chances for survival had just dropped dramatically.

However, that did not mean that his final moments would be a waste. Shibito had come to this conflict prepared to die, if only for the glory of Iwa. Ideally, he would have lived with only the loss of a few subordinates, but death is always a possibility for any ninja. As such, he already had a suicide technique ready, just waiting for the correct hand seals. Upon completion, his flesh would turn to stone, while all the blood in his veins would turn into superheated steam. The resulting pressure would change the Jonin into a fragmentation grenade, laced with acid and bacteria from his internal organs. A slight nick would be enough to kill, poisoning the body as quickly as any chemical extract. Even with the Slug Bitch there, chances were that at least one ninja would die in the resulting blast zone. Truly, it would be a death worthy of a ninja.

On the other hand, that did not mean it would be a death in the best interests of Iwa. The presence of a Jinchuuriki using the Rasengan while looking like a clone of the Yellow Flash had to be reported to his superiors. Escape was impossible, but there were ways around that. Knowing what he had to do, Shibito took the boy's strike shifting only enough to lose half his ribcage as opposed to being torn in two. The pain was excruciating, but that did not matter. Forcing himself to remain conscious, the Jonin quickly took the blood splatter and channeled chakra into the drying liquid before passing it over two symbols on the back of his neck. Looking into the eyes of his enemy, charging once again to finish him off, Shibito Asuma, High Jonin of Iwa allowed himself a bloody grin. Even in death, victory would be his. "I win, you little brat." Releasing the technique, the Iwa ninja only had a moment to enjoy the blonde's expression as every suicide exploding tag on his Genin subordinates went off at once. Then with a painful tug and a wave of exhaustion, the darkness took Shibito Asuma, smile still firmly in place.

* * *

Authors Notes

...Yeah, how much do you guys hate me right now?

I meant to get this out weeks ago, but while I had an outline prepared, finding time to actually write it out was beyond my schedule. I have another chapter of Different Techniques with a beta at the moment; otherwise, I would have tided you over with that. As it was, I only managed to get this ready before the end of the semester as a treat for finishing my first final. I am never taking this sort of class load while working full time again -_-;;;

I would like to give you all a belated thank you for all the reviews from the last chapter. However, in response to my long absence, I thought I would do something special. I promise to respond to any and all reviews directly, no matter how out there. Even if I don't want to provide spoilers, I promise to give you hints and nudges. You know, if you like that sort of thing.

One small thing though. I am NOT planning on using the Kitsune Bloodline! I am working on something else! Believe it!

Love it or hate it, I'm glad you've all stuck with me for so long. Please continue, because your continued support means the world to me. Now, on to the next chapter!

Hidden smiles, secrets and lies are the basis of the Ninja World. Prepare for the bruised egos to explode once more! Stay tuned!


	41. The Drumbeats of War

No I don't own Naruto. I also don't Captain Planet, so I can't claim that Naruto is ripping me off either.  
...Ok, that was weak. Just go and enjoy the end of the cliffhanger -_-;;;

Chapter Thirty Eight: The Drumbeats of War

Allowing her arms to fall, Hinata struggled to control her breathing. The surprise attack had been unleashed with a fury beyond her experience, launching shrapnel into the air with the force of a dozen exploding tags. If she had not kept her Byakugan activated, the Chunin would never have believed what she had seen. All the bodies of the enemy ninja, both above and below the ground had overloaded with concentrated Earth-type chakra, before releasing the energy in an uncontrolled blast. Luckily, there were no enemies directly under her position, but given the number of opponents they had been dealing with the clearing looked like an Akimichi punching bag. Picturing what would have happened if she had been a little out of position or a bit slower, the Hyuga fought back a shiver.

Forcing herself into action, Hinata swept the battlefield with her doujutsu, checking for further traps and the status of her comrades. Luckily, it only took a moment to confirm the last of the enemy ninja were dead. There were no foreign chakra signatures within the line of her sight, and what was left of their bodies could probably fill a thimble. Realizing exactly what that entailed, the young kunoichi fought back a momentary bite of bile. Whatever that last attack was, it appeared to turn their own bodies into living bombs. What sort of commander could do that to his own forces? Given the state many of the attackers had been in by that point in the fight, there was no way they could have activated it themselves.

Trying to move past the gruesome mental images her imagination was producing, Hinata quickly shifted to the state of her teammates. Seeing Naruto climbing out of a crater, brushing the dust off made her sigh in relief. Noting the familiar spiral pattern carved into the ground, she could only guess that the blonde had launched a Rasengan downwards once the final attack had begun. The destructive ball of chakra appeared to have deflected the majority of the blast and shrapnel, leaving him relatively unharmed. The few cuts and bruises would probably be gone within the day, even without Tsunade-sama's healing. Heck, she could probably deal with injuries of that level by now.

Checking over where she had last seen Shizune-sempai, all that remained were the fragments of a shattered log coated with rapidly fading chakra. Clearly, the older kunoichi had responded quickly enough to pull off a replacement technique. It was the work of mere moments to shift her search pattern to find the brunette, who was returning, Tonton safely in her arms. Like Naruto, Shizune seemed fine, if a little more exhausted from the experience. Given the difference in stamina between the two, she would honestly be surprised if that was not the case. Still, it was good to know her other friend was alright.

Unsurprisingly, Tsunade-sensei did not even look winded. Unlike her compatriots, she was dust free and as steady as before, chakra levels barely spiking from the effort. Seeing the Hokage like this, it was enough to drive home just how far she had to go to reach such heights. The crater under the Sannin's foot appeared to serve the same purpose of Naruto-kun's Rasengan, preventing any underground strikes from landing. Between that and her position at the edge of the clearing, Tsunade-sensei had withstood the attack with the least amount of damage so far of any of the group.

Realizing that she still had not located Hana-sempai, Hinata intensified her search, before gasping in surprise. Launching herself forward, the Chunin ran towards her Sensei, praying that she could make it in time. Even Naruto's presence to her side, asking questions and attempting to get her attention, did nothing to distract the young Kunoichi. Nothing mattered more at that moment than getting Tsunade-sensei to Hana-sempai. With what her eyes were showing her, Hinata knew she had very little time to save her comrade's life. Unless she was mistaken, every single second was precious!

* * *

Stomping down the corridor as quickly as his damaged hips would allow him, Oonoki of Iwa fought to keep the fury from him face. If thetracking seals were accurate, nearly fifty Genin, nine Jonin, and one Elite Jonin had kicked the bucket. Given their mission, he could understand their deaths, but the loss of an elite ninja was still a heavy blow to his forces. Shibito was a little heavy handed and vain, but the man had his supporters within the ranks. Once word about his death got around, his ninja would start clamoring for vengeance. It was more than an old man such as himself should have to handle.

But, every single ninja in his attack force knew the drill. The mission to eliminate Tsunade and company was completely off the books as it were, and by standard protocol, all sixty ninja would be labeled traitors in the next edition of the Bingo Book. While it would look bad to have such a large percentage of his force going rouge, providing credible evidence that Iwa had orchestrated the assassination of the Hokage would spark the next Great Ninja War. He was too old and his men too stupid to invite that sort of disaster. Everyone might know the truth, but with the official line and documentation being what they were, Konoha would not have a leg to stand on if they tried to make a big deal about it. That was the purpose of silly, disposable Genin and plausible deniability. After all, only the victorious got to brag.

No, while regrettable, the deaths of his men were not the true cause of his fury. It was Shibito nearly screwing the whole thing up with his Black Bag Seal! The standard protocol would only work if there was no proof left of the attackers to refute the official statement. As an Elite Jonin, that blasted ingrate knew what would happen if they failed. So why activate a suicide option, and turn around and threaten their security like that? There was no logic or reason to it, except that brat had been hit one too many times during his last spar. Just ignoring the irony of the use of the Black Bag Seal alone was enough to give the old ruler a headache.

The Black Bag Seal was a holdover from the efforts of his Research and Development team during the Third Great Ninja War. When Iwa had learned about the effectiveness of the Yellow Flash's special technique, every seal master and chakra specialist that could be spared attempted to recreate the effect. Countless hours and ryo went into the development of a counter technique, but despite their efforts, nothing seemed to work. Oonoki had threatened and killed countless failures in his frustration before pulling the plug. By then, the end of the war was a foregone conclusion, and he knew every possible resource was needed to rebuild his village into greatness. Given what he had to work with once the best and brightest were thinned out, the short Tsuchikage thought he had been doing a pretty good job all things considered.

Still, the research program had not been a total loss. Some of the developments in Iwa's seal library had shown remarkable potential, up to and including new enhancement and control seals for the village Jinchuuriki. However, among all near successes the Black Bag Seal became the most useful. Taking the basis of the summoning seal, Iwa's developers created a recall seal that could work from anywhere within the Elemental Nations. Iwa ninja faced with death and dissection from foreign powers could escape, preserving Iwa's secrets from enemy hands. Any ninja of sufficient power and ability was given this seal upon promotion to Jonin, and were instructed to use it as a last resort.

However, despite its advantages, the seal did have one major drawback. Although it summoned a ninja from long distances, the chakra drain of the subject was so severe that using the technique was an automatic death sentence. No matter how much chakra as subject had, using the Black Bag Seal would kill someone moving down a hallway of the Academy, let alone crossing the borders. Therefore, to prevent any missing ninja from attempting suicide strikes against the village, the grounding seal was automatically destroyed upon the confirmation of the defection. That was why Oonoki was so pissed off after all. People would question Shibito's status as a missing ninja if his seal was left intact long enough to activate.

Bursting into the Black Ops medical wing, the diminutive ninja glared at the researchers standing over the fool's body. "Alright, there had better be something really impressive in that bastards bones to warrant this sort of treatment. Give me everything that you can about Shibito's injuries so that I can move on to the important parts of my job." After all, the piles of paperwork would not finish themselves. The last thing he wanted was to leave important tactical documents lying around while he was occupied and his granddaughter was bored. The little brat had almost started a war with Taki the last time that had happened.

Shifting under his gaze, the medical examiner paled. "My apologies Tsuchikage-sama, but the results were beyond anything we expected. There are a number of interesting injuries that have been preserved, but the most important is this." Lifting the sheet, Oonoki was treated to the sight of battle damage he had not seen in nearly two decades. "Although I have never personally seen the results of this attack, it is very well documented. An unknown party landed a fatal blow upon Jonin Shibito with the Rasengan."

Hearing the name of that accursed technique, confirming what his mind wished to deny with all his heart and soul, Oonoki narrowed his eyes in angry contemplation. Perhaps Shibito was not the fool he thought. "I want a complete report on the nature of the attacker within the hour. I don't care who you need to pull or what you have to do, but get me all the data you can on the new enemy of Iwa. I'll be waiting in my office." Spinning on his heal, and ignoring the resulting pain in his hip, the shortest reining Kage backtracked as quickly as he could manage. If there was ever a piece of information he never wanted to hear, it was that someone else had learned that technique. It called into question just what Tsunade and Konoha were doing. Either way, he would not rest until he got to the bottom of this mess!

* * *

Staring at the younger woman in front of her, Tsunade fought the urge to throw her hands up in resignation. Hana had managed to win against all odds, as the fresh patches of foreign blood coating her form denoted, but she was far from safe. Her expert eye could pick up several deep wounds that were oozing blood and other vital fluids at an alarming rate. The Chunin was a strong ninja, but given the odds and the environment the battle had taken place in, it was a miracle that she was alive. The only reason that the girl was not going into shock at the moment was a healthy dose of adrenaline and sheer will power. Both of which would not last much longer, unless she could be reasoned with.

Unfortunately, the Inuzuka was not in a listening mood. Unlike the rest of the team, she had been forced to fight at a disadvantage by herself for most of the battle, and as a result, one of her familiars was bleeding out. Therefore, she was more concerned with healing the dog than her own injuries. "Look Tsunade-sama, I refuse to leave one of the Haimaru's dead so that you can look over a few scratches. So back off until I finish!" Someone once said that medics made the worst patients, and Tsunade had never believed it more strongly than at this moment.

Fighting the urge to knock Hana out while distracted, the blonde once again tried to reason with her. "Hana, you have to be rational about this. Your familiar will not survive if you pass out from chakra exhaustion before completing treatment! If you don't disengage your healing technique at once, then there is a chance that you will be permanently injured, undermining your own career and the safety of the rest of the team! Shizune and I can do enough to stabilize your patient with traditional methods until your recover, but the longer you continue this foolishness the worse it is for everyone!" After all, even though she was no vet, Tsunade knew a thing or two about non-human anatomy. Given some of the genetic treatments that ninja could undergo, stabilizing a single canine familiar was well within her ability.

Growling, the Chunin ignored her order, even as the healing chakra around the patient began to fade. "By the time you finish fixing me up, my companion will have bled out. An Inuzuka never abandons a partner, especially if they happened to save your life. If I had just been a bit faster or taken the watch more seriously, this never would have happened. I don't care if the effort puts me into a coma! I will not stop until my partner is stable!" Seeing the fury in the younger woman's eyes, Tsunade felt a headache coming on. It was not the first time she had dealt with an angry Inuzuka, and hopefully it would not be the last.

Still, that left her in something of a bind. From what she could tell from sensing the chakra of her companions earlier, Hana was the worst off out of the entire group. While the loss of her companion would be regrettable, from a logistical standpoint it was an acceptable risk. A single loss versus nearly sixty dead enemy ninja was not something to ignore. But no Konoha ninja worth their salt would ever suggest that an Inuzuka should allow a canine companion to die for the good of the mission. Too many know-it-all's had disappeared due to such orders, and she did not particularly want to test the rumors that floated about occasionally about them. But the death of a ninja hound was much easier to deal with than the loss of a capable Chunin, especially the heiress of the clan. Now how the hell was she going to convince Hana of that?

Hearing movement behind her position, Tsunade turned only to sigh in relief. Hinata and Naruto, both a bit worse for wear but still relatively unharmed, were approaching. Judging from the girls activated Byakugan, she was well aware of the danger their fellow ninja was in at the moment. Unfortunately, despite their impressive growth, neither apprentice would be of much help at the moment. Hinata had barely mastered the first control exercise consistently, and Naruto was even further behind. Until the other blonde gained some significant leaps in control, all he would be good for was a massive chakra generator. Pausing, Tsunade reviewed that last thought before suppressing the urge to slap her forehead. For all her supposed genius, she sometimes missed the obvious.

While it would be technically possible to heal Hana while she was healing her companion, the amount of chakra was prohibitive. Even with her control, the technique Hana was running would disrupt the effect, wasting nearly sixty percent of the utilized chakra. While not exactly hurting from the encounter, the number of injuries that Hana was sporting would require more chakra than the three Sannin combined if she continued to use that technique. However, with the chakra potential of nearly six Kage-level ninja at the moment, Naruto might make up the difference! "Glad to see you two are alright, but as you might have guessed we are low on time. Naruto, get your ass over here and begin forming hand seals! I need extra chakra five minutes ago!"

* * *

Looking over the scroll from the Black Ops, Oonoki narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Originally, Shibito's last act had appeared to be some half-hearted attempt at dying on his own terms, instead at the hands of the world's greatest Medical ninja. No Iwa ninja ever wanted to be at the tender mercies of Tsunade, and the Tsuchikage had originally believed that this was just a sign of the Jonin losing his nerve at the last second. However, the more he reviewed the information the man's corpse contained, the more he realized those initial thoughts were foolish. If he was correct, Asuma Shibito was a patriot of the highest order, and would be honored as one. The intelligence present was more than worth the lives of a mere sixty ninja, no matter what their ranks.

After careful and in-depth examination, the medic's had confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that the finishing blow was caused by a Rasengan. Iwa's medical corps had an extensive library of the effects and symptoms concerning that particular technique, and Shibito demonstrated each and every one in spades. But the interesting thing was that the chakra signature recorded did not match either Jiraiya or Minato, the only two confirmed masters of the technique. To be careful, they checked against the last known living student of the Yondaime Hokage Hatake Kakashi, but he also failed to match against the attacker s signature. Therefore, it was confirmed that an unknown party within that blasted village had mastered the Rasengan, right underneath their noses.

But that was not the end of the surprises. The Black Bag Seal was notorious about draining any and all ambient chakra to fuel its function, up to and including the remnants of offensive and defensive techniques used upon the target. Only techniques B-ranked or higher even stood a chance of retaining enough chakra for a trace, and a careful formula had been created to determine the vitality of such energy from the rate of decay demonstrated. Therefore, since the Rasengan was an A-ranked technique, it was more than believable that there was enough chakra to trace in this fashion. What surprised the medics was the fact that chakra was so dense. On the scale available, with one being an Academy Student and ten being a Kage, their calculations indicated the user was a solid seventeen!

Oonoki had lived a long time and dealt with numerous wars in his village s history. Therefore, in his vast experience, he had encountered only one being that had that sort of power. He was faced with something much more concerning than a random Sannin floating around the Elemental countries supposedly to protect an abused orphaned child from her own forces. No, he was dealing with the greatest medical ninja in history rehabilitating and training a Jinchuuriki of Konoha to the point a teenager could wipe out an elite Jonin with decades of combat experience, without the usage of his or her tennant's chakra.

The report was as damning as it was clear. Given the density and durability of the enemy's chakra, and the other intelligence gathered about the blonde's sudden road trip, it was easy for the older ninja to understand the situation. The recent invasion coupled with the rumored defection and detainment of the last loyal Uchiha had weakened Konoha more than anticipated. If he knew that old monkey Sarutobi, this Jinchuuriki had probably been conditioned to be loyal to the Leaf for his entire life, so that was not a concern. But with all this talk of seals and sabotage, it was likely that the general populace of Konoha had no interest in forming bonds with such a potential danger as a Jinchuuriki. He had seen the same isolation drive Han nearly insane after the last war, and Roushi was not much better before he retired.

So if you needed extra firepower and your weapon is broken, who was better to fix the problem than the best Medic on the planet? A little rehabilitation, some minor seduction to make the orphan feel special, and the Hokage would have the perfect kunai to throw at her enemies. The rumors did state that all other attendants were female, so it would not surprise the Tsuchikage if they were playing off his hormones to reinforce that connection. Konoha could try to play the moral superior all they wanted, but Oonoki knew better. Using physical attraction and emotional manipulation were completely legitimate methods by any ninja, and those tree huggers were no different.

Then there was the other little aspect of Jinchuuriki that was standard procedure. The medics had attempted to capture an imprint of the attacker from Shibito's visual cortex using reconstruction surgery, but the shock of the Black Bag Seal had been too much for the delicate organs to handle. So all they managed was a splash of yellow hair heading towards the dying Jonin in his last moments. But, although it was circumstantial, Oonoki knew that the other elements of the case, such as the Rasengan, pointed to one thing. The Yellow Flash had sealed the Biju into his own child, making him all the more dangerous.

The situation was not as conclusive as the elder wanted, but the facts presented painted a dangerous and deadly picture. Tsunade was no fool, and Konoha was not weak. But if he even gave out these little breadcrumbs to his forces, Oonoki knew that nearly their entire garrison would abandon their posts in the pursuit of revenge. While potentially very satisfying, he had not earned his title by initiating world wars. Instead, the older ninja would have to balance the truth from the lies in the pursuit of his village's stability. It was not like he had another fifty ninja to throw away lying around at the moment.

* * *

Sighing in irritation, Shizune put down the last salvaged scroll before heading towards her mistress. Ever since using Naruto's chakra to stabilize Hana and her companion, the Slug Sannin had been checking their vitals constantly in an effort to speed things up. Given the extent of their little tussle, none of the ninja wanted to stay in place for too long. Unfortunately, until their comrade stabilized, they were pretty much stuck. So Tsunade had sent her apprentices throughout the campsite in an effort to gather intelligence about the enemy who attacked and evaluate their remaining resources. So far it did not look so good.

Standing behind the Sannin, the brunette waited for her acknowledging nod before beginning. "I'm sorry to say Tsunade-sama, that while it could have been worse it also could have been better. On the positive side, all our funds, including Naruto's reparations and the discretionary budget you acquired before we left, are intact. In addition, the research and scrolls we took from Sea Country and our research from Bird Country were secured in the special seals for the Hokage's Hat. Therefore, nothing absolutely irreplaceable has been lost."

Leaning back, the blonde Hokage sighed. "Well, that's good at least. I'm still fairly sure that the research we've done coupled with the notes from Sea Country will be enough to crack the Cursed Seal, so losing any of it would have been a significant blow. However, I know we have a lot more storage scrolls than that, and your silence on the matter is not very encouraging, Shizune. So now that I know what we have retained, why don't you let me know what we have lost?"

Biting her lip, the younger medic looked down in embarrassment. "Regrettably, Hana was carrying a number of scrolls containing materials gathered from the Black Market when she was attacked. While we probably should have redistributed them before leaving the city, between all our previous acquisitions, she was honestly the only one left to carry them. Unfortunately, between the structural damage from the fight, and the blood and chakra saturation from her wounds, we're looking at nearly a thirty percent loss. That includes all our backup camping equipment, our food stores, and nearly a hundred weapons of each level of quality." Left unspoken was the fact that they would not really have an opportunity to restock any time soon.

This situation was one of the reasons that heavy storage scroll use was uncommon in the field. When ninja used a storage seal they would either release the technique with an application of chakra, or a combination of chakra and blood for more secure documents. However, seals had been known to be damaged or overloaded by excessive chakra-infused blood common when a high level ninjutsu battle was going on. In addition, if a seal was broken with physical damage, it could release prematurely or simply become useless. Despite efforts to preserve the seals with special paper and chemical treatments, situations like this could still happen, biting you in the ass.

Pinching her nose, Tsunade replied. "Well, there's not much we can do about that. You and I retained our medical supplies, while Naruto and Hinata had most of their personal equipment and gear. But without food, water or shelter, things will go very bad very quickly out here. Gather what you can and get the others ready to march. We'll head towards Bear Country next. They're so insular over there, that I doubt that any foreign ninja will dare launch an attack near their borders just to get to us."

Nodding her agreement, Shizune was about to follow her orders, before remembering one thing. "Oh, and Tsunade-sama? Despite our best efforts, there are no traces left of the enemy force that would indicate who was behind the attack. None of the remains bore notable symbols, and whatever that suicide technique was, it destroyed their physical forms beyond anything I could examine. I apologize for my failure." Yet, despite the lack of evidence, the kunoichi had a damn good idea who they had been dealing with. Such skills were fairly distinctive after all.

Her faith was rewarded by the older kunoichi's cocky smirk. "Oh, it doesn't take a genius to figure out this was an attack by Iwa. Those rock heads have been using the same sort of battle tactics for years, and it's better than a fingerprint. But if I know the old midget, he's not going to be stupid enough to start a war. He's just a damned opportunist. My guess is that the next Iwa Bingo Book is going to have a massive influx of lower-level missing ninja, who all mysteriously disappeared by the borders of the Land of Fire. It wouldn't be the first time they pulled that trick, and I doubt it'll be the last. It's just too bad his gambit was such a failure, isn't it? Now go get ready to move. Hana is nearly stable and we're just burning daylight like this." Happy that her suspicions were validated, Shizune headed out, ready to fulfill her duty.

* * *

Looking over the assembled forces before him, Oonoki fought the urge to scowl. When a ninja village has lost most of its best and brightest over the course of years, the standards tended to slide just a bit. The men and women before him were relatively talented, but several had attained promotions through favors and clerical manipulation to enhance the presentation of Iwa's forces. With the decimation of the higher ranks during the last war, many of his best ninja were untested in actual combat. If his suspicions proved to be accurate, then that would have to be the first thing to change.

Forcing himself to remain calm, the leader of the village mounted a podium for just a little more height. Like the well trained ninja that they were, the assembled Jonin and Chunin commanders stood at attention. After all, it was better to err on the side of caution when dealing with someone who could literally grind you into atoms at will. "Ninja of Iwa! I come before you with grave news. Asuma Shibito, war hero and Elite Jonin of our ranks has fallen. Let us take a moment to honor his brave and noble sacrifice." The Tsuchikage was pleased to note the signs of confusion on the more intelligent members of his leadership. Iwa did not honor those who had fallen. They were more focused on avenging them.

However, the bulk of the Chunin and Jonin were now positioned to be most effective. "Shibito died in pursuit of a large force of defecting Genin and Jonin who had heard that Tsunade of the Sannin had left the borders of Konoha. Enemies of the peace, it was his duty to bring them to justice, but the Slug Sannin got there first. In his last breaths, he managed to activate a recall seal, providing us with invaluable data about those blasted tree huggers." Of course, the less intelligent would now be stoked to a fever pitch in their hatred of Konoha while the smarter ones would realize that there was much more than that. Ah the joys of teaching children to look underneath the underneath.

Slamming his fist into the stand, the elder ninja allowed a small snarl to cross his face, as if by accident. Such passion was most effective in motivating the troops after all. "Tsunade is traveling with a new prodigy, who demonstrates mastery of techniques thought lost to those blasted tree huggers! If our information is accurate, then he or she will be S-rank within the next six months! Despite the recent invasion, it appears that the blasted Will of Fire lives on! But I ask you, are we going to stand for this outrage? Are we going to allow that village to grow and prosper when it should know its proper place? No, we sure as hell will not!" With that declaration, even the most conservativemember of his forces broke out into cheers. The pebble had been cast, and all that was left was for the avalanche to fall!

Still, it would not do to set the world on fire just yet. "I want each and every one of you out in the training fields getting stronger! Bleed, sweat, and cry until your bodies ache for death. Then go out and do it again! There will be no weakness in this village and there will be no defeat! I don't care if Konoha throws a new ace at us! I don't care if Suna is trying to make nice with our enemies! I don't care if Kumo is getting twitchy with their arms buildup! I don't care if Kiri wants to prove they still deserve their position as one of the great five villages! Iwa is what I am concerned with, and I expect you to stand tall against all odds! I am giving you until the end of the week, but as soon as that is over, you will all be heading to boot camp and you will like it! Have I made myself clear?" That was all it took really. Konoha might go on and on about its Will of Fire, but Iwa had their Heart of Stone. It was the determination to do whatever it took to come out on top, no matter how difficult. Konoha could just go and suck on that!

Watching the motivated and blood thirsty children under his command begin to disperse, Oonoki narrowed his eyes at a trio slinking in the back. "Don't head out just yet you three. I want to have a word with the illustrious clan leaders during one of your rare appearances." Hearing the various members of the general forces smirk and laugh at his comments, the Tsuchikage kept his face blank. If they were really dealing with a Jinchuuriki related to the Yondaime Hokage, then he needed to know the status of every tool in his arsenal. A little plausibledeniability, however, was always welcome.

Waiting for the room to empty completely, the elder allowed himself an evil smirk. "You have five minutes to convince me overlook your little field trip. It was unauthorized and in direct violation of your standing orders. However, I'm growing sentimental in my old age, so a success would make me merciful." That and the three before him had enough potential to warrant the extra attention after losing so many ninja to this issue already.

Taking the lead, the eldest and heir of the clan bowed low. "Honorable Tsuchikage, it was most difficult, but we endured. Through time and effort, we secured the means to reestablish our legacy, and will move forward in the service of Iwa. All we require is the time to master the tools needed to ensure our victory." Looking over the three, Oonoki sensed both self confidence and a drive to prove themselves. Given the state of their clan, he was honestly not surprised in the least.

Nevertheless, he could only admire their resourcefulness. "Very well Suzumebachi, Jibachi, and Kurobachi. I will grant the young blood of the Kamizuru a chance to shine once again. You three will be pulled from the active duty roster for one year. Use that time to reacquaintyourselves with the lost arts of your clan, and prepare for battle. The drums of war are beating, and it won't be long before Iwa will need your power once more." Seeing the blood thirsty grins before him, Oonoki had to fight the urge to laugh. By the time he was done, that blonde bitch would not know what had hit her!

* * *

Taking a deep sniff of the air, Yugito stopped in her tracks while signaling her compatriots to do the same. Taking another sample of the atmosphere, she cursed before closing her eyes to concentrate. As the host of the Nibi, the Kumo Kunoichi was well acquainted with the stench and its meaning. There was blood in the air, and while it was faint the demonic chakra in her veins sang in response. They were heading towards a battle site, and a rather ferocious one at that. "Stay sharp everyone, and prepare for trouble. Something big went down not too far ahead." Ignoring the team's responses for the moment, she leapt ahead once more at much greater speeds.

It took the team a bare ten minutes to find the source of the bloody smell. The ground showed extensive signs of damage, cratered and heaving like a piece of tacky modern art. Trees were knocked down or missing notable chunks from weapons, and scorch marks littered the grass. Ignoring Omoi's impressed whistle, Yugito extended her chakra sensing ability to maximum range. After confirming that there were no other unknown ninja in the area, and that the target group was long gone, she released a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was to get blamed for a battle this severe while slinking around the Land of Fire.

Clearing her throat, Samui began to issue orders. "Omoi, take Karui and secure the perimeter of the clearing. Yugito and I will examine the interior and subterranean areas. Be on the lookout for any clues about who attacked and offensive techniques used by either side. If you find anything, let us know at once." Nodding, the two ninja headed off at once to fulfill their objectives. Turning to face her, the younger kunoichi sighed. "I will start on the far side of the clearing. However, since there are actual traces of the battle still present here, I think it would save time if you simply used every available resource in your analysis. Please inform me of what you discover." Hearing that command, Yugito fought back the urge to grimace. This was not a trick she liked to utilize in the best of circumstances.

As Jinchuuriki of the Two Tailed Cat, Yugito had developed a few unique abilities as her bond with the Biju grew. Unfortunately, instead of the raw power of the Hachibi, she had gained spectral flames that connected with the dead. While effective in combat, this particular brand of energy was tied intrinsically with the afterlife, granting her certain abilities when it came to the recently deceased. However, unlike the stories civilians liked to spread around, she was not capable of forming armies of zombies to do her bidding. Instead, she could discover and experience the deaths and blood spilling injuries of fallen enemies and allies to better prepare herself. As a power it was useful for preparation, but unpleasant on a personal scale. That was why she focused so much on developing her other abilities instead.

However, since Samui was the nominal squad leader at this time, Yugito had no choice. Taping into the demonic chakra housed within herself, she began to replay the battle wincing as time went on. Her suddenly sharper sense of smell could detect blood of a canine and something similar, indicating an Inuzuka, probably female. In addition, while limited to a few drops, there were signs that every member of the target team had was injured. On the other hand, the ground was saturated with blood, indicating that most of the deaths had occurred while submerged. She was forced to experience crushing pressure and sharp strikes of pain nearly a dozen times before each life seemed to explode in a pulse of earth chakra. Disengaging, the Kunoichi had to fight the urge to go jump in a river to feel clean.

Still, she had uncovered a number of interesting facts. First, they had confirmation of the presence of a new member from a clan known for its tracking abilities. Secondly, judging from the amount of pain and death present, the enemy had outnumbered the defenders by a factor of ten to one and still lost. Third, many of the traces never even made it above ground before being literally flattened. Fourth, they probably would not find any bodies, since it appeared that each of the defeated enemies had been sacrificed in some sort of suicide technique using earth chakra. Therefore, it was relatively safe to assume that Iwa had thrown their hat into the ring, and had been properly curb-stomped.

Deciding that the rest of the team needed to be informed as quickly as possible, Yugito turned to approach Samui's position. However, the tenseness of the other blonde caught her by surprise. Careful to stay out of her weapons range, the Jinchuuriki tried to observe what had caught the normally cold woman off guard. However, she was not prepared to see a perfectly circular crater carved into the ground. "What the heck? What sort of damage is this? There should be stress cracks all along the edge of the impact!"

Not bothering to turn around, Samui replied. "It appears to be some sort of technique that grinds or carves as opposed to exploding. In addition, while not the sensor that you are, I don't detect any earth chakra being used, so this probably did not come from the attacking force. Instead, it appears to have been formed from an attack of raw power from one of Tsunade's group. However, I would expect a punch from the legendary Sannin to leave some sort of fist impression, as opposed to a perfect sphere. So this is something new." Trying to imagine the power and control required to pull off such a move with raw chakra, Yugito suppressed a shudder.

Crossing her arms across her impressive assets, the kunoichi whispered. "Take your time trying to track them for a little bit. With this attack, Tsunade will be on guard, and any attempt at contact their group will be viewed with hostile intent. Besides, the more scenes we deal with like this, the more information we can gather for the Raikage. Now let's go join the others." Nodding her agreement, Yugito spared one final glance at the battle damage before her. Even without concentrating on her sensing ability, the residual chakra was still rather intense. What were they feeding their troops over in Konoha anyways?

* * *

Gasping for breath, Tenten headed towards her canteen with a smile you would need a crowbar to remove. Kakashi was nowhere to be seen by now, only giving her about two hours of support before going off on his own. However, that was more than fine as far as she was concerned. If not for the Jonin's inattention, she might not have discovered a neat little shortcut for her training. At the rate she was going, enemies and smartasses would learn to fear her name!

She had been working on her elemental training for about a week before the first breakthrough. Between her normal missions and training with Team Gai, the kunoichi barely had enough energy to keep up her standard pace. If not for Neji taking on more responsibilities around the apartment, she might have starved herself by skipping meals to save time. But in the end, after chakra building exercises and demonstrations of sheer willpower, she managed to produce a single spark, barely more than static cling. Happy with her progress, Kakashi had stated that all she had to do was work towards that same sensation with her chakra over and over until it became instinctual. Then, after telling her to keep at it, he had left for the day.

Annoyed that there was still daylight to burn and the Cyclops had taken off, Tenten got the brilliant idea to attempt the same exercise with Raiga's twin swords. However, instead of a single little spark, the twin swords had generated a bolt of lightning as thick as her wrist between them. Startled, she had dropped the swords, deciding to stick with kunai for the moment until her control was better. However, when she tried the exercise again, the two kunai had generated a much stronger spark. Seeing the difference, the kunoichi realized belatedly that, after getting a feel for the technique with the enhanced metal of the special weapons, the original exercise was that much easier. That gave the weapons mistress a very, evil idea.

Therefore ever since her little discovery, Tenten would practice with Kakashi only using the kunai as originally requested. But as soon as the Jonin ditched her, she would pull out the twin swords and practice the same technique. The longer she used the enhanced metal, the more effective the kunai exercise became. Judging from her instructor's reaction and her own observations, the Genin was fairly sure that her efforts had been reduced by nearly four months. It had gotten to the point that she had attempted to recreate some of the strikes she had seen the Kiri missing ninja utilize to great effect. While her aim still needed work, Tenten was happy to state that the issue of channeling elemental chakra into her weapons was greatly reduced.

However, that did not mean she could slack off! A true weapons mistress knew the ins and outs of everything in their arsenal. While Tenten had taken the first step in mastering her new toys that did not mean that she had completed the journey! That led to extra training with both Lee and Gai whenever she could get away with it. Oh, the Genin knew that displaying those skills depressed Lee and would alert Kakashi to her extra training, but until they told her to stop it would continue. Besides, after Gai managed a few extra pep talks to his disciple, she had spent hours attempting to learn how to throw lightening at will. In all honesty, she had not had this much fun in a while! It was almost as cool as the time she got to experiment with a hundred exploding tags in that bandit ambush. Just the memory made her want to break out her wet stone.

Feeling her second wind building, the kunoichi grabbed the swords once again. Despite all her progress, Tenten knew that she should probably take it up a notch. After helping her with their joint budgeting and coordination for the last couple of weeks, Neji was showing signs of wanting to leave the village for a higher ranked mission. Despite the welcome influx from Raiga's bounty, the other Genin had begun to develop a phobia about running short and getting thrown into the streets. She was not sure if it was caused by his own misadventures handling money or some latent feelings of inadequacy from his own lack of experience, but it was clear that nothing less than a full C-rank was going to calm him down. Despite all his genius, it was clear that the former Hyuga relaxed best when dealing with his problems head on.

Unfortunately, a C-rank mission would rob her of much needed training time, since every bit of stamina would have to be focused upon the objective. Given that Gai-sensei had been letting them take charge of their own workload more and more lately, the weapons mistress would have that much more effort required of her. So the best thing to do was to push as hard as she could while the opportunity was available. That way, if the next mission went crazy, she would be able to handle her fair share of the effort. Besides, she might just end up with another cool toy if she kept her wits about her. After all, she could honestly state that lightning would strike twice if you wished hard enough. Pausing at the last thought, Tenten shook her head at the horrible pun before getting back to work.

* * *

Reviewing the mission request scroll, Jiraiya considered the merits of accepting. Hoshigakure over in Bear country had put in a request for some extra muscle to protect the village, stating that the recent generation of ninja had been pulled off duty for some sort of special training. Therefore, they just needed some extra bodies to ensure internal security. Given the number of Chunin and Jonin still available within the village, not to mention the mild nature of their requested support, it was honestly sold as a job for a Genin squad. In fact, showing some caution about possible information theft, the village leader specifically presented the request in such a manner.

On paper the whole thing looked like easy money, but it was honestly setting off each and every one of his instincts. Hoshigakure was known for its insular policies and unique techniques. They were also known for pissing off each and every one of the Five Great Nations for claiming the title of Kage without proper acknowledgment. If not for the facts that their numbers were too low to be a real threat while their business interests were limited to actions within their own country, the Toad Sage was sure they would have been smacked around for their cheek. As it was, they were considered something of a bad joke, and were constantly snubbed on the international stage. If word got out that they were actually subcontracting village security to another nation, no one would easily forget it.

So the question was, why take the risk? While he had heard that a new leader had taken over the village recently, Jiraiya knew the pride of that nation. If they actually needed extra security forces, Hoshigakure would never let any of the Great Nations know about it. The chance that their secrets would be subverted would be too great, and the level of protection they were requesting was simply not enough to justify the potential dangers. Therefore, it was clear to see that their leader did not want foreign ninja there for protection, but as pawns in some other, subtler scheme.

Shuffling around the request, Jiraiya took a long, hard look at the potential client. While his sources in that part of the world were a little skimpy, it had not been too difficult to dig up some dirt. Akahoshi had taken over about a year ago, when the so called Sandaime Hoshikage had died under questionable circumstances. Acknowledged as the strongest Jonin in the village, Akahoshi had worked quickly to consolidate his power while instituting special training exercises in the younger generation. Unfortunately, details about the actual training were not available, but one thing appeared to be clear. It was this policy that appeared to be the source of the current mission request. Perhaps the man had simply made a mistake, or pushed too hard? It happened sometimes when smaller nations attempted to prove themselves or claim additional legitimacy.

Therefore, the most likely reason for inviting the team was to use them as scapegoats for some sort of internal maneuver. Have a bunch of inexperienced kids wandering around, and then pull off a secret operation on the side. That way, even if no action was taken against the team, they would bear the brunt of the responsibility. Akahoshi might even use this as a chance to claim the title of Yondaime Hoshikage, then turn around and state that their village was not yet strong enough to combat Konoha. That way, he could nurture feelings of resentment to motivate his forces to develop at a faster rate. Depending upon the severity of the plan, the Jonin could have the village allied in an attack on Konoha, or launch their own offensive. Thus, the cycle of hatred would be sustained and he could rise to power while his comrades died. It was almost worthy of one of his masterpieces.

On the other hand, ignoring the request could be used against them as well. If he denied the mission, it could be used to make them appear weak to the rest of the countries. With a few rumors, Hoshigakure could develop their own reputation while undermining Konoha's, leading to further losses of revenue and authority. Or, if the theoretical operation was carried out, Konoha could be held responsible or as a potential ally to the mysterious enemy. It was almost enough to give him a headache.

Tapping the desk thoughtfully, Jiraiya made his decision. While he was not particularly interested in the techniques of Hoshigakure, a true ninja never passed up an opportunity to do some research. However, it would simply be irresponsible to send in three cute little Genin on their own. Hopefully, the introduction of a recently promoted Chunin would not turn too many heads when the team showed up. Besides, Team Gai seemed a little stir crazy these days, and Shikamaru could use the fresh air. Knowing that group, Akahoshi would not know what hit him. Smirking at the possibilities, Jiraiya stamped the mission scroll, deciding to send them out the next morning.

* * *

Shifting Hinata-chan off his back, Naruto made his favorite hand seal once again. "Shadow Clone Technique!" From her position in front of the group, Tsunade directed the clones with an ease verging on boredom. Naruto only paid the scantest attention himself, more concerned with getting Hinata back into position. Watching Shizune make her own Shadow Clone to follow, the blonde could only hope that their new strategy threw off any pursuers. He did not want to lose his clothes on top of the tent, damn it!

After getting organized to depart, Tsunade-baa-chan had stated that they needed a new evasion pattern. Somehow the assumed Iwa ninja had been able to track them, despite all the false trails hundreds of Naruto clones had set up around Crater City. Therefore, their best bet would be to confuse any additional scouts with subtlety. Therefore, the Hokage directed Naruto to form an additional two teams of clones, while forming one herself. Her clone led one team towards the southern border, while the additional team surrounded the originals in a tight border formation. At that point, the legendary medic picked up the prone Hana-sempai and her injured familiar before handing a couple of food pills to her other hounds.

From then on their pattern evolved into a mishmash of double backing, select decoy teams, and random supplemental clones from Tsunade, Shizune and Hinata. The Hyuga was perched on Naruto's back to both conserve chakra and concentrate on their surroundings. Hana's familiars used their advanced mimicry technique to track by scent while Tsunade did her best to keep their injured comrades in once piece. Thankfully, they managed about half their top speed so getting to the appropriate border only took five hours without a break. Of course, after making all those Shadow Clones, the only one not ready to fall over was Naruto, but what else was new?

Tapping him on the shoulder, Hinata called out to the lead blonde, "Tsunade-sensei, I see a cave about ten minutes away at three o'clock. There are some signs of habitation, but it's the best location that we've passed for nearly an hour." Hearing that, Naruto wanted to groan in irritation. While he was having no problems keeping up the chakra required to maintain his current pace, running full tilt with someone on his back was beginning to hurt a bit. Hinata was mostly muscle at this point, and while it made her look hot it was still a strain. No matter what sensations he may or may not be getting from the close contact, he was just about ready to kill the occupant of the cave and start dancing over an open fire like a caveman!

Thankfully for his peace of mind, Baa-chan seemed to have the same idea. "We'll just have to risk it. While Hana is doing better, I really need a chance to check her over properly. Hinata, keep your Byakugan on at all times until we confirm the cave is clear of traps. If an enemy shows up out of the blue, we will take them down and go from there. Now let's move it!" Thanking his lucky starts, and the divine inventor of Ramen, Naruto followed his teammate's instructions with gusto.

The cave turned out to be a small crack between two larger boulders that was barely large enough for them to squeeze through. However, the interior was much larger, holding a fire pit, stone table, assorted stumps for makeshift chairs and a limited sleeping area. Sighing, after confirming that it was safe, Tsunade set the Inuzuka and her companion down. "This looks like some sort of outpost, so we will have to be careful. Rest in shifts and keep an eye out constantly. Hana will take at least three days of rest to get back to her old strength, even with my help, so we need to make a real effort not to attract anyone's attention. But in the meantime, let's just take a small break." Sighing, Naruto flopped to the ground only to start at Hinata-chan's cry of alarm.

Pointing towards the entrance, Hinata got into position, her Byakugan once again blazing. "Tsunade-sensei! There is a chakra signature heading directly for us at high speed! I cannot tell how powerful they are, but the power appears to be fluctuating between a Jonin and Kage level reserve!" Motivated by his friend's words, the blonde ninja got into position, standing away from the cave entrance. He might be tired, sore and ready for dinner, but when it came to chakra, no one else had him beat!

Despite Hinata's warnings, the attack was swift and nearly undetectable. A wave of dark purplish chakra flew through the air, nearly entangling Tsunade-baa-chan in its crushing embrace. However, despite the limited area, the Sannin was still able to dodge to the side, neatly avoiding the strike. Not willing to waste any more time, Naruto formed a Rasengan before launching himself forward. The concentrated ball of blue chakra tore the energy construct to pieces, revealing their attacker edging through the entrance, kunai in hand.

The clearly female ninja wore a deep grey vest over a drab, form fitting shirt and pants. Her long brown hair reached passed her shoulders, held back by a headband bearing an unfamiliar star symbol. Her face might have been considered pretty if not twisted in a mask of determination, bordering on rage. But before another attack could be launched, the unknown kunoichi seemed to gasp before falling like a puppet with its strings cut. She landed before the Konoha ninja, the last visages of the purple chakra fading in the light. At that moment, Naruto just knew that, once again things had gotten more complicated.

* * *

Authors Notes

Wow, just wow...

You know, I had all these plans on keeping my word. No matter how big or how small, I honestly planned on replying to each and every review for the last chapter. I managed to last twenty four hours before losing my place. To all of you who reviewed and did not receive an answer, I apologize.

It has been a little bit, hasn't it? I hope you'll all be happy to know I more or less aced my classes, so that was fine. I am taking a summer course, but it will be about a third of the commitment, so I should still be able to manage here. Anime Boston was absolute awesome, and I acquired a bunch of materials at very reasonable prices, not to mention an autograph from nearly each and every guest.

On that note, I would like to give a shout out to Third Fang of Yet Again with a Little Extra Help. Yours was the only Naruto fiction mentioned in a positive light at the professional's fanfiction panel. In comparison, the host responded to my question about challenge fics as if I spat on his shoes. Oh well -_-;;;

Sorry if I am rambling, but I'm fighting a summer cold at the moment and the medicine is messing with my head...

Well, now that you all know what has been distracting me for the last month and a half, why don t I look over some of my favorite questions in the reviews?

Ok, about Naruto's Rasengan being more than a drill. I would like to note that this version of the attack is much more controlled than the cannon edition that we all know and love. Jiraiya was unable to train Naruto in using a single hand for the attack, yet in terms of raw power, Naruto has been shown to have the stronger spinning ball of death. So I cite higher concentration for more focused battle damage.

The reason that the Konoha team didn't go for the trees more is that they weren't really given a chance for the most part. While instinctual for the stronger ninja, climbing a tree with your chakra still takes a split second of concentration. The sheer number of Iwa ninja kept them from getting that needed time. Besides, even if they went for the trees more, then that would allow the attackers to focus more on long distance techniques. Staying close and personal could, and did, trip up the horde and result in friendly fire being a major issue.

Yes, I am evil for making such a crappy cliffhanger. Believe it or not, it was completely unplanned.

If you want to know if they return to Konoha, please continue to read.

Yes, it is interesting that the enemies of Konoha that the Sandaime used to justify hiding Naruto's legacy from him figure it out before Konoha. That does not reflect well on the so-called strongest village.

I have no plans on giving Hinata wood techniques or Naruto ice techniques. However, that does not mean that such plans are impossible to contemplate.

For everyone asking about the changes in HInata s chakra, I will give you a hint. Her chakra is not the only one to be changed. See if you can notice the unifying principle. :) The full answer will not happen for another couple of arcs, so stay tuned!

Please don't hack my computer. I keep most of my story ideas in my head, so no spoilers for you!

Now that we ve got that out of the way, let us look at the next chapter!

A long delayed reunion reveals changes both amazing and depressing. But what is there to do about things except move forward? Stay tuned and please review!


	42. A Conflict of Interests

No I don't own Naruto. I also don't own Bleach, thank god. After the most recent arcs of both stories, I think we know which one is managing the test of time, ne? ;)

Chapter Thirty Nine: A Conflict of Interests

Leaping through the air, Neji activated his Byakugan for another sweep of the surrounding area. He would never admit it to anyone, be it his comrades or original family, but the young genius actually enjoyed the sense of freedom missions outside the walls granted him. This was the first C-rank mission they had gotten since the Katabami Gold Mine, and he was itching for a chance to prove himself. Normally, Neji would simply chalk such emotions to excessive exposure to Lee and Gai-sensei, but for once he was willing to make an exception. Relieving some stress was just what the doctor ordered.

Wasting away in Konoha while limited to D-rank chores was not the sort of thing that a true warrior did, and with the loss of his name, his profession was all Neji had left. While he understood the realities of living outside of the clan a little better now, a part of his soul deep down still wanted to prove himself through combat. Doing nothing but training eventually wore at his patience, so when Jiraiya-sama had offered his team this mission it took every single year of training and experience he had to maintain his facade. That did not mean that Tenten did not realize his intentions, just that Gai and Lee were oblivious enough to overlook them.

Smirking at the odd thought, Neji was just about to deactivate his doujutsu before something caught his attention. Signaling his compatriots to stop their advance, he focused his sight on the location in question. "Shikamaru, there's a shielded area about twenty miles from the border to Bear Country. I don't know if this is a part of Hoshigakure's defensive forces, but I think we should practice caution. Despite their intentions, I can see a truly massive source of chakra in that direction." The fact that the barrier and distance prevented any sort of identification of those involved was just a minor irritation at this point.

Frowning from his location in the rear, their temporary leader was surprisingly quick to respond. "Our report didn't mention any sort of base or outpost in this direction. If the client wanted to keep something quiet, they probably wouldn't have requested that we approach using this route. While it might be a little premature to assume hostile intent, we shouldn't rule it out either. Just how massive are we talking about here?"

Focusing upon the distant chakra source, the Genin frowned. "It's not easy to detect. Whoever set up the barrier is very good, but for some reason the entire area appears to be infused with unusual chakra. I don't know if it is simply the site of excessive ninjutsu practice, or a hidden bunker for a missing ninja, but anyone who has the rank to match that level of power should be able to hide their presence better than this. I honestly haven't seen this sort of disparity between chakra level and rank since Naruto. But the signature doesn't match him at all." Remembering just what had happened in that battle, Neji fought back a shiver. This time the combat would not be against an ally but an unknown factor. Despite his genius, the former Hyuga did not like his chances.

Sighing, the Nara shook his head. "Well, that is just the height of troublesome. If we bypass them and head directly for Hoshigakure, then we will be in violation of our primary mission, giving the client grounds to file a complaint and withhold our fee. But if we dive right in, the enemy could have the potential to wipe us out. There's no real choice I'm afraid." Turning to the others, Shikamaru took on an air of command that appeared to be completely alien on his lazy features. "Lee, you take point while Tenten shifts to right wing formation. I'll follow behind with Neji in left wing formation. Our primary objective will be gathering information, but be prepared for combat. Now then, let's move out!"

Shifting to cover the left flank, Neji hoped that it was nothing. True he wanted to face some action, while possibly getting another bounty or two. But the last thing he wanted was to be left behind as his teammates were sent on ahead to take the initial strike. He was many things, with even more skills added since his freedom. But no one would ever be stupid enough to call the young man a coward. Channeling more chakra towards his doujutsu, the Genin prepared for battle.

* * *

Standing up from where Hana was resting comfortably, Tsunade decided it was past time to give their prisoner another checkup. Keeping the Hoshi ninja unconscious was only common sense when you took their situation into account. Not only was their presence a potential political problem, but something was making the woman very sick. If the corrupted nature of her chakra technique was not proof enough, the twisted state of her chakra coils was much more pressing. If not for the limited nature of the unknown chakra and a distinct lack of seals, Tsunade would be willing to bet that the kunoichi was an unknown Jinchuuriki.

Somehow, the kunoichi had enhanced her chakra using an alternate energy source. The end results increased the density and vitality of her chakra immensely, but the side effects were disturbing. Not only was her cellular structure breaking down, but her tenketsu and chakra coils were rupturing and regenerating randomly. At peak condition, Tsunade had no doubt that this woman would be close to Kage level in combat. But, with her own energy crippling her at random intervals, the Hoshi kunoichi would probably be a close match for a Chunin. Honestly, the whole phenomenon was disturbing to the medic.

Tsunade was well acquainted with the medical experiments that the average village utilized to enhance their ninja. Orochimaru might be rather infamous for his cruelty, but the bastard was far from the only ninja scientist who had pushed ethical boundaries. But the only thing that even came close to what Hoshi had apparently done was the occasional attempt at mass producing Jinchuuriki. While the energy was less malevolent than a Biju, it was not healthy or natural. As a Kage, she was honestly intrigued and concerned with the methods Hoshigakure was utilizing to get such results. Whatever it was could be very dangerous if abused much further.

That did not mean she was going to act rashly. They were technically in the wrong here, so she would content herself with healing the unknown kunoichi and keeping her sedated for a while. Then, once Hana was ready to move on, they could make their next move. While there was always the danger that another patrol would come by and check on her status, Tsunade was not too worried about that. Not enough was adding up about the woman, and it made every one of her instincts scream in concern. It was too neat and pat for a normal patrol to come this far out from the border, let alone a single Kunoichi. Given that she lacked any sort of mission scroll or authorization among her belongings, she might just be a bit more than someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The cave was furnished to be more than a crack in the ground. It reminded her of observation posts set up in enemy territory back during the Third Great War, when operatives had to remain unnoticed for as long as possible. Yet if this was the woman's base, a reasonable explanationgiven her rate of response when they set up shop, why would she be hiding from her own village? If she was a missing ninja, she would have broken her alliance by scratching out her symbol, lest she attract the wrong sort of attention. Yet, her face was not listed in the latest Bingo books. So what exactly was this woman up to, and what sort of danger would she and her charges find themselves in once again?

Shaking her head in frustration, the medic decided to put it out of her mind for the moment. With a little more work, the woman would be healthy enough to question in the morning. In the meantime, she could examine the strange damage for future speculation. Some of the effects reminded her of Naruto's injuries after the Uchiha Retrieval Mission, and comparing different treatments would be useful for his future attempts at harnessing the Kyuubi's chakra. Better to experiment on an unknown Kunoichi than a loyal Konoha ninja after all. Changing the frequency of her own healing chakra, Tsunade got back to work.

* * *

Biting her lip, Hinata looked over the scroll before her for the fifth time. When they had been redistributing the materials acquired from Amachi's lab, she had made a point to isolate this particular scroll for her own analysis. Now, after several weeks of examinations on the sly, the young Kunoichi knew the details of its contents inside and out, without even breaking the seal. This was a summoning contract of exceptional power that was the perfect complement to her fighting style. With this scroll, the power of the Umibouzu would be hers!

It was not that she regretted signing the scroll of the Slugs. Her Sensei's summon specialty was very powerful in their own right, and were loyal beyond a shadow of a doubt. But despite the level of growth she had achieved under Tsunade, Hinata was doubtful about using them in battle. When going over the specifics of their capabilities, the Hokage had mentioned that their primary ability was to act as a medium for healing chakra. While she had practiced the technique, her own abilities in that field did not make it practical in real life yet. The sync required between slug and summoner took years of effort to gain in order to be effective. The problem was that she needed power now to keep those around her safe!

Most Hyuga, even the Jonin of the clan, relied upon their specialization in Jyuken to advance their abilities and career. But there was a clear and unavoidable trade off for this practice. Each strike in their Taijutsu art required extensive chakra control and endurance. Take away their chakra, and most Hyuga would be helpless against an enemy combatant. So learning skills such as Ninjutsu and Genjutsu were frowned upon as dangerous deterrents to surviving in the field with a Byakugan. Given the amount of chakra summoning a slug capable of surviving the battlefield required, her most effective abilities would be rendered useless within minutes in an actual combat situation.

Hinata was no fool. While she knew that the last few months had done more for her growth as a ninja then the last ten years, the young Kunoichi was not omnipotent. The attack from the Iwa ninja rammed down that fact more than any sparing injury. She still was not strong enough to deal with their potential enemies. If a bunch of Genin could do that much damage, what would happen if Naruto had to face the Akatsuki? Given her skill set and current company, the girl knew she would be the weak link. That was not a situation she would ever accept again.

However, gaining control over a creature like the Umibouzu should compliment her skill set perfectly. She was a powerful Water elemental chakra user, and that appeared to be one of the vital requirements. The Umibouzu also required little to no chakra, relying primarily upon energy harnessed from the sun once summoned to rapidly multiply and increase in power. While limited to water based battlefield, be it salt or fresh, for someone with so many high energy techniques and limited chakra, it was as close to perfect as she could imagine.

Still, even if she managed to open and utilize Amachi's Summoning creature, the young Hyuga knew that things could still go wrong. If the Slugs or Tsunade were insulted by her request, they might remove her from the Slug Summoning Contract for her insolence. An absolute worst case scenario would have Tsunade disavow her as an apprentice, only to send her back to Konoha in disgrace. While she had faith that Naruto would not abandon her, Hinata could never do anything to harm his own chances of survival. Naruto had to be strong to deal with the Akatsuki, and she had to be strong to stand by him. That is what best friends did after all.

Gathering her courage, Hinata prepared to deactivate her Byakugan to finally make her request. Luckily, before she could, something unexpected caught her attention. "We have company Tsunade-sensei! I cannot tell much through all the chakra in the walls here, but a band of ninja is approaching at a pretty quick pace. Our patient might have some friends coming!" Putting her feelings aside for the moment, Hinata began to prepare for combat. A dramatic confrontation would have to wait until the latest headache was dealt with. But she would not give up, or ignore the problem. That was her ninja way, after all.

* * *

Crouched behind a tree, Tenten eagerly awaited the all clear signal from Neji. They had discovered a potential enemy hideout within an odd rock formation nearly twenty miles from the border. Normally, their Byakugan-using comrade would scout out a situation fully before allowing them to agree upon a battle plan. Unfortunately, in addition to its isolation, the hidden cave was infused with some sort of weird chakra that made picking up details all but impossible. As such, Neji's ability to check out the possible enemy strong hold was limited to examining the surrounding area while Shikamaru attempted to figure out a strategy. Honestly, the boy's reaction to the problem would be downright adorable if the situation was not so serious!

Feeling the familiar urge to launch herself into battle, the kunoichi struggled to remain calm. Their mission was of the utmost importance, and if this ended up being an official Hoshigakure outpost, then attacking the inhabitants would probably be a bad idea. An absolute best case scenario had the team confirm the base was friendly, slip away undetected, and inform Jiraiya-sama of its existence upon returning to Konoha. However, the weapons mistress was not foolish enough to assume that even a third level scenario was in the cards. She had worked long enough as a Kunoichi to recognize such things did not happen in this world.

Feeling Neji return to their position, she concentrated chakra into her ears to listen in on the situation. Information was always useful, especially if it was accurate, after all. "This base is too isolated and untouched to be a likely part of Hoshigakure's defenses. There is enough undisturbed growth and a lack of traps to indicate that whoever is here doesn't want to be noticed at all by anyone. At the very least, there should be traces of some sort of emergency escape tunnel to warn the village. I believe we are dealing with someone else entirely." Hearing the facts, Tenten gripped her kunai much more firmly. Neji was not known as a genius for nothing, so if he thought that this was an enemy base, she was inclined to believe him.

Sighing, Shikamaru turned to her direction. "Alright, we're going to treat this as an enemy base so fight to disable and capture, rather than kill. If this whole thing turns into some sort of misunderstanding, I would rather impress the client with his disabled scouts than try to explain their deaths. Tenten will take point and draw their attention with a wave of kunai. Lee will take the left flank while Neji will strike from above. I'll stay in the grove, and use its shadows to capture any loose ends. Move on the fifth heartbeat, and happy hunting."

Smiling in anticipation, Tenten took one of her scrolls before running across the clearing leading to the cave. Mindful of enemy ninjutsu, the kunoichi triggered the seal in the weapons storage scroll, releasing a wave of nearly two dozen kunai for cover before launching a few more accurate hits. She felt more than saw her teammates move into position, the back draft from their swift movements requiring a few minor adjustments to her own attacks. Team Gai had been working together for the better part of two years by now, so they knew each other's strengths and weaknesses as well as their own. Therefore, the counterattack was just as shocking as it was effective.

The small crack that led into the hidden base exploded into a wave of darkness that consumed the daylight utterly. Tenten could barely hear the ting of her kunai being deflected before an unknown figure was before her. She could not see or hear him, but the constant training with faster ninja like Gai-sensei and Lee had left her sensitive to the presence of the unseen. Yet, despite this ability, she was still unable to counter his unseen strike, or the powerful hands that had her pinned within moments.

Luckily, Tenten was professional enough not to panic. While she might be a little weak in close range, her comrades were not. Between Neji's Byakugan and Lee's speed, the unknown enemy would have a much harder time dealing with them. That was when a series of muffled curses and thumps informed her of three important things. First, the Byakugan could not effectively penetrate this darkness technique. Second, the enemy was calm enough to sneak up on Lee without giving themselves away. Finally, Shikamaru's techniques were not able to harness the artificial shadow that surrounded them. That was the point that she began to just get a tad worried.

"Wait a second. There's only one ninja who would call an enemy ambush troublesome! What the heck are you guys doing out here?" Blinking at the familiar voice, the young kunoichi lifted her head in surprise. The technique was already dropping, revealing their captor. The blonde hair, blue eyes were clear enough, but no one would be able to match those whisker marks. Her team had just been defeated by Uzumaki Naruto and a couple of Shadow Clones, when the boy should be off convalescing under the care of Tsunade-sama because of the extent of his injuries. What the hell was going on here?

* * *

Clasping Shikamaru's arm, Naruto gave his best grin. After months on the road, seeing another one of his precious people was a real treat, especially one who happened to be a guy! While the team of kunoichi was all awesome, spending five months in the wild with only girls for company did begin to wear a dude out. Between the female solidarity and his wacked out hormonal balance, it was like the blonde had been drowning in a sea of estrogen. No matter what perverts like Ero-sennin thought, being around that many temperamental kunoichi with no back up was damn stressful! A laid back guy like Shikamaru was just what the medic ordered!

Seeing the returned smile, if somewhat more subdued and confused, the blonde decided to start things off. "So how's it hanging, Shikamaru? You've got to tell me what the heck you're all doing out here in the middle of nowhere. Then, you've got to tell me what the heck is going on back home! Boy, do I have some stories to tell you!" Thinking about Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, and the rest of his favorite people, the blonde almost vibrated off the ground. After so long cut off from things, he could finally make sure that everybody was alright!

"As nice as your reunion might be, Naruto, I need to have a little chat with Shikamaru to check on some things. Why don't you catch up with his teammates for the moment?" With that announcement, the lazy Chunin was literally grabbed by the arm by the Hokage before dragged behind their current hideout. Seeing the loss for a chance for some male bonding, Naruto fought back a curse. As always, Baa-chan had the worst damn timing!

Realizing that he still had other sources of information, the blonde turned to the three older ninja. He had only dealt with Lee, Neji, and Tenten a little during and after the Chunin Exams, but the Naruto knew that he could trust his comrades to fill him in on things. Lee was too straightforward to keep things quiet, Neji owed him one for his kick in the ass, and Tenten was just loyal enough to do so upon request. Therefore, none of the three Genin should have any trouble filling him in on anything important. Besides, he technically outranked them, and could simply order an update. "So, since Baa-chan has decided to leave the three of you in my care, why don't we go over some details? We've been out of contact for a while, and I would love to hear how everyone is getting along!"

Their reaction was not quite was he was expecting. "Who the hell cares about all that! How the heck are you moving around so easily? Everyone heard that you were so screwed up that it would take years to get you back in fighting shape! Then you manage to beat all four of us in a couple of minutes! What the heck is going on here?" Hearing the honest shock in Tenten's voice, the blonde fought his urge to scratch the back of his head. Clearly someone was starting rumors about him again.

Not in the mood to deal with looks of disbelief and envy from his comrades, Naruto moved to nip that in the bud. "Yeah, it was like that at the beginning. Baa-chan took nearly a week for me to move properly, and another month before I could even use chakra again. But she's not the best damn medic on the planet for nothing after all. We've just been wandering around dealing with trouble and training for a while now. Boy, do I have some stories to tell you!" Hopefully, that subtle reminder would get the three to start sharing information. He felt like he was missing something here, and it was not a sensation he was enjoying all that much.

Tilting his head to the side, Lee's response made him feel even worse. "While it is excellent to see that your fires of youth have not diminished, we are just a little shocked that you are in such good shape. If your treatment has progressed this much then why have you not returned to Konoha? With the way the village is at the moment, we need our Hokage back!" Blinking at the normally energetic ninja's serious tone, the Chunin began to get worried. Was the pervert really having that much trouble keeping things under control back home?

Frowning, the blonde took a seat before gesturing for the others to join him. "I believe it's time for a debriefing. Why does Tsunade-baa-chan need to return so badly? What's gone wrong?" Exchanging a look, both Tenten and Lee began to talk, to Naruto's ever increasing horror. In fact, he was so wrapped up in their information, the Chunin never even noticed Hinata and Neji disappearing.

* * *

Looking at his cousin by blood, Neji could not help but notice the differences that the last few months had upon her. She had gained some height, muscle tone, her hair was longer, and she held herself with a certain poise that was absent before. All were signs of a blossoming Kunoichi. This honestly made the tears building in her eyes all the more painful. "Has father really done all of that? What about Hanabi? Is she safe at least?" Hearing the suppressed trembling in Hinata's voice was much more painful than it should be. Honestly, there was some sort of irony in the fact that both were outcasts from the clan either through action or perception, and still saw each other as family. However, that did not make the situation any less real.

Sighing, the former Hyuga genius shook his head. "It is not particularly pleasant for her, Hinata-sa...Hinata."Forcing himself to remember that he no longer had to show constant respect to the younger ninja was going to take some getting used to. "While you haven't been officially removed from the clan, the fact remains that you are not there. Most of the clan members are currently jockeying for position, and the process has been less than pleasant for many of those involved. Hanabi and her attitude have not made a lot of allies within the clan over the years, so her support at home is limited. I do what I can, but even with my team's help it has been a difficult path to walk."

Turning away, the promising kunoichi seemed to deflate before his eyes. "This is my fault for being selfish. If I had known that this was going to happen, I would have refused Tsunade-sensei's training. Despite everything, I am Hyuga, and my place should have been in the clan." One by one, her tears finally fell as her pain poured from her soul. "I had always believed that one day I might remove that cursed seal and we would be a family again. But now that it's gone things have only gotten worse. I never wanted to lose more of my family because of these actions. We should be better than this!"

Knowing exactly what Hinata was feeling, Neji drew his cousin by blood into an awkward hug. "You were not given a choice, Hinata. Tsunade-sama chose you as an intentional slap in the face of the Hyuga leadership. The stories of Elder Shinji's torment at the hands of Jiraiya-sama have moved into the realms of legend. Even then, this was a chance that only a fool could hope to ignore. But I don't doubt that you have proven yourself over the course of your journey. Otherwise, she would never trust you enough to leave us alone to talk. I doubt that she knew about my leaving the clan if you were so clueless, so we could be colluding together behind her back."

Shaking her head, the Chunin pulled away a bit to make eye contact. "Tsunade-sama has had no reason to doubt my loyalty because my loyaltyhas always been to my village and my friends. Even if you no longer bear the name of Hyuga, we are still family and I hope to be your friend. It's time to leave the pain and power plays behind, Neji-nii-san. Even when I return, we shall always look out for one another." Shocked at the honesty and earnest determination he saw in her lavender eyes, Neji had to use every ounce of his focus not to flinch. It appeared that the shy little flower had grown up more than he had thought while away. He really needed to stop underestimating her like this.

Activating his Byakugan quickly to ensure that no one was paying attention, Neji allowed himself a small smile. "Very well, Hinata. In the meantime, if we split up again I'll make sure that Hanabi will be as safe as I can manage. All I ask is for one small bit of advice." Knowing that this would only hurt his pride, which was already fairly battered from recent events, and pay off in the future in spades, the Genin lowered his voice. "Is there any chance you could give me some cooking tips? I really don't want to nearly burn the apartment down again." Seeing her break out into giggles at the question, Neji finally realized what it meant to actually have a little sister. Despite the embarrassment he felt at asking the question, he knew that it was worth it.

* * *

Looking at the young Chunin, Tsunade had to fight back a smirk. While she would like to do nothing but allow Naruto and Shikamaru to catch up, doing so in the middle of enemy territory was a very bad idea. Her student could get more than enough gossip from the Genin following along. In the meantime, she needed some information from her operative. "Alright Shikamaru, while I was surprised to see you in this direction, I'm not stupid enough to miss an opportunity. Report your purpose and the status of your ongoing mission." If there was anyone capable of multitasking enough for her needs, it was a Nara genius, despite finding the process troublesome.

Grumbling, the Chunin stood at attention. "Team Gai and I were dispatched to Hoshigakure at the request of the current leadership. While I can give more details later, the request boiled down to a need for more security during a special training session for the village Genin. Jiraiya-sama thought there was something fishy about the request, so our secondary responsibility is to conduct some recon. Given what information was provided to me, it does look like my team is being set up to take the fall for something, but the overall objective remains unclear. We only left Konoha two days ago, if that matches up with your presence here."

Frowning, the Hokage shook her head. "I'm sorry but we only got here a few hours ago. Our group was ambushed by a large group of unidentified ninja, assumed to be a strike force from Iwa. We spent the last day or so setting up false trails, and our only altercation so far has been an unidentified Hoshi ninja. However, my gut tells me that things are not as they appear on that front, so some additional interrogation is going to be necessary later." Seeing the surprised look on Shikamaru's face, Tsunade decided that an interrogation was going to have to happen before anything else. If his team was expecting Hoshi ninja's this far out, the presence of one should not be a surprise at all. "Never mind that for now. How goes your primary mission?"

Pinching his nose, Shikamaru smirked. "You sure like to play dirty, Tsunade-sama. I really hope that I never get you angry with me." Straightening up, the Chunin continued his report formally. "As ordered, I have worked to undermine and weaken the position of those who are a direct threat to Naruto and your own position within Konoha. There has been some mixed success, but I'm fairly happy with how things are going." Rubbing her hands together, Tsunade grinned. While she knew that the Nara was lazy, he was also the only one she could appoint to take these steps. After all, besides Jiraiya, who would suspect that a slacker would be put in charge of a counterintelligence operation of this magnitude?

Holding up his left hand, Shikamaru continued. "On the positive side, Konohamaru and his cohorts have been making things very difficult under the direction of Iruka-sensei. When I recommended them to Jiraiya-sama, I wasn't expecting them to undermine or destroy the business interests of sixty five percent of the existing merchant guilds. With the current village economy, replacements are slow to form, and the groups that targeted Naruto out of spite or supported the opposition of the Hokage are hemorrhaging money. In addition, several clan heirs including Chouji and Ino have isolated themselves from their respective families, and those involved are definetly getting the message. Finally, Jiraiya-sama is gleaning quite a bit of useful information from Danzou's recovered paperwork, and the actions of the advisors Homura and Koharu. I'd say that things will be completely secure within another three weeks at our current rate of speed."

While the news was welcome, Tsunade felt she had to interject at that point. "While I'm happy to hear that so much progress has been made in my absence, I am sorry that Chouji and Ino got dragged into it like that. I know that they are your friends and understand that you wanted to keep them out of the situation." Plus, she did not fully trust the two Genin to be on Naruto's side against their families. That was a heck of a risk for little gain in her opinion.

Sighing, the Nara shook his head. "I didn't plan on including them either, but that's how things developed. Besides, I wouldn't be much of a friend if I sugar coated the situation for them. Their reactions were genuine and more about what was done rather than who it was done to. I'm sure that if they're given enough time to understand the situation, that when news of Naruto's condition is explained they will continue to side with him." Biting her lip, Tsunade wished she could share his confidence, but would defer to his knowledge for the moment.

Waving the sentiment away, Shikamaru continued his report. "On the down side, the clans are getting pretty pissed at you. Between the downturn in the economy and the ongoing degeneration of conditions within the village, you're going to have a fight on your hands to retain your hat after getting back. Between the lack of opportunities and higher ranked missions, the ninja population is getting restless. I wouldn't stretch this out much longer Tsunade-sama. Things are coming to a boiling point."

Closing her eyes, the blonde nodded her agreement. "Weakening the village as a whole was unfortunate, but Sensei allowed too many opportunists and self important idiots into positions of power. Cutting away the rot from an infected limb is always going to hurt, but as long as we get it all in one go I can live with the consequences." Allowing her eyes to open once again, Tsunade fixed her subordinate with a look. "Now why don't you go over just what Danzou was getting his dirty little fingers into over the years?" Gulping, the Nara continued his report.

* * *

Slowly returning to consciousness, Natsuhi found herself bound in place. Doing her best to remain quiet, the kunoichi shifted slightly, testing her bonds to no avail. With the familiar sensation of chakra draining binders on top of everything else, the woman could only conclude that she was in major trouble and playing dead was her best option. Unfortunately, her captors were not going to be so accommodating. "I saw that twitch kid. Better wake up so we can get started." Mentally debating the pros and cons of the situation, she hesitantly opened her eyes. What she saw only drove home just how helpless things truly were.

She had been bound to a rock at the far side of her dwelling, stripped of all gear and potential weapons. Arrayed before her were eight ninja of Konoha, denoted by the spiral on their headbands and the fact that Tsunade of the freaking Sannin was right in front. Not to mention the two Byakugan users of the Hyuga clan and the three Chunin vests in plain sight. The only potential weak point was a ninja behind the group out cold, but seeing as he or she was guarded by at least two visible ninja hounds that would probably make a hostage situation all but impossible on top of everything else. After years of effort and struggle, the Hoshi Kunoichi knew that she was completely screwed.

Crossing her arms under her legendary chest, the blonde Sannin stared her down with ease. "You know who I am, and I'm sure that you recognize that you are outnumbered and outgunned. Therefore, I think that you might be smart enough not to lie right now. This is no official outpost, and you are not an active Hoshi ninja. This set-up screams long term reconnaissance, which makes your presence near the border very fishy. So why don't you make things easy on yourself and explain why you are here and what your purpose is."

Frowning, Natsuhi kept her mouth closed and head down. She had left her village years ago, with only her husband for company. Even when he submitted to the damage of the Star, she had continued on her way, resolute in her purpose and unwavering in her conviction. Despite her outnumbered status, despite the presence of a Sannin, the kunoichi would not betray her precious people. Even if she breathed her last this day, the mother would do her best to ensure that her son never had to deal with the pain of that horrible training.

Unfortunately, her refusal only warranted a snort from the strongest woman in the world. "Well, if you're going to be like that, then we have no choice." Pointing to a younger man with a pony tail, the blonde continued to talk without a trace of pity. "Shikamaru here has actually been hired by Hoshigakure to act as village security during some sort of training exercise. I'm sure that when he brings you to the village leader Akahoshi, he'll know what to do with you. If your purpose is benign, Shikamaru has the excellent defense that you attacked first and asked questions later. But if you're a security threat, then the village leader will know what to do with you." Hearing those facts stopped the woman cold.

Natsuhi had left the village in secret exile only because the Sandaime Hoshikage had promised an end to the Star Training. But if the old man had died and been succeeded by Akahoshi, then everything would have been for nothing. That bastard had been a major proponent of the Star training, and one of the few that could give her a run for her money in her younger years. She had actually been out scouting odd flares of Star Chakra before finding her hiding spot overrun, and now she knew the source. Her son and his cohort were being put at risk because of that man's ambition. If she allowed these Konoha ninja to simply deliver her to the bastard, either she would die in secret, or be imprisoned as a potential asset for later exploitation. Anything was better than such a fate, even begging enemy ninja for help. Slumping, she whispered, "Please let me explain."

Over the next hour she spilled everything she knew. Natsuhi told the legend of the star that fell from the heavens that was the source of her village's strange chakra. How utilizing that power had given them amazing abilities, but often ended up killing them at a young age. How she and her husband had been unwilling to allow their own son to be consumed by the Star Chakra, and had acted to steal the artifact, only to be caught by the Sandaime Hoshikage. How the leader had agreed to their secret and perpetual exile in return for stopping the training, and their constant observations of the old man to ensure his word was kept. She spoke of her heart and her fears, and begged them to reconsider their alliance with Hoshikage before another generation of young ninja was lost.

At the end of her tale, one of the Hyuga nodded. "She is either telling the truth as she knows it, or is one of the best liars I've ever seen. No shifts to her pulse or the chakra pathways to her mind to suggest a suppression technique. As far as I can tell, that entire story was accurate as far as the facts go." The other Hyuga frowned, but nodded as well. At least these Konoha ninja were smart enough not to just trust her at her word.

Frowning, Tsunade fixed her with a look. "Well, between Neji and Hinata's glowing recommendation and the damage I noticed during your medical exam earlier, I'd say this explains quite a bit. The question is what should we do about it? We have a standing obligation with Hoshigakure, and cannot simply break that because the village doesn't properly value the health of their ninja. On the other hand, Akahoshi is probably trying to use our ninja as scapegoats for something. But without more than the word of an exiled ninja and some bad gut feelings, Konoha cannot just break a contract. I'm open to ideas people."

Sighing, the boy called Shikamaru slumped. "It's troublesome Tsunade-sama, but I bet that Akahoshi wants more power. He's just listed as the village leader, but Hoshigakure has always claimed the title of Kage without the support of the Five Great Nations. My guess is that he will manufacture an incident to cement his position as the Yondaime Hoshikage. Given his position within the village, it's not unlikely that he already knows about our prisoner, and is attempting to lure her out as a patsy. That's the only thing that makes sense with the data we have available." Thinking over her own interactions with the man, Natsuhi had to admit the kid had a point. Akahoshi was obsessed with power and position, so the loss of a few Genin on the way to improving the village's stance and thus his own was not out of the realms of possibility.

Her musing when the younger blonde boy suddenly smiled before cracking his knuckles. "I think you guys are missing out on what an opportunity this is! We've got a chance to help out those kids and fulfill our obligations to this Hoshigakure place. We just have to be a bit on the sneaky side!" Looking into the child's blue eyes, Natsuhi felt a chill go down her spine. As childish as the boy appeared, something in her soul seemed to resonate with his words. Just who was he?

* * *

Checking over her supplies once again, Shizune fought off another pang of nervousness. Naruto might not come off as an idiot anymore, but judging from the looks that the fresh Konoha Genin were throwing him, she was not the only one to be surprised by his cunning. While the medic thought the plan was unnecessarily risky, she had to admit that it did have the best chance of bringing things to a proper conclusion. That did not mean she liked it all that much. Of course, her self-introspection was interrupted just as she was finished stacking their remaining medicines. "Wool gathering Shizune? I taught you better than that."

Looking up into the firm gaze of her Sensei, the brunette sighed. "I'm sorry Tsunade-sama, but I'm worried about this plan. If you look at the worst case scenario, we could end up at war with Hoshigakure. Given the skills of one of their Jonin, I don't think that is a battle I would want to deal with." Sure, Natsuhi had folded due to her issues with Chakra poisoning, but that power had been close to Kage level. A standard Konoha team would probably have been obliterated within seconds of starting a confrontation. "Springing their trap like this could blow up in our faces so easily. I want to believe in Naruto, but Team Gai will be the ones at risk. They're talented for Genin, but you have to admit that they are not in our league."

Nodding her agreement, the Hokage signed. "I have to concur with you there. If we were the ones diving into the deep end, I wouldn't be worried in the least. Both Naruto and Hinata have made significant strides, Hana is almost recovered and will be fit to fight again in a couple of days, and you have been watching my back for years. However, all of us would stand out way too much if we accompanied Team Gai to meet with Akahoshi. Our best option is to allow them to fulfill their parts in the plan and be available as backup if things go south." Nodding her agreement, the first apprentice of Tsunade fought back her doubts. Ninja, sadly enough, were trained for the possibility of defeat and death. Further worrying about the teens involved would be both counter-productive and insulting. Besides, she had her own tasks to perform.

Taking out a sterilized sheet, she turned to her mistress in deference. "Everything is ready, Tsunade-sama. Shall we begin the procedure?" Smirking, the blonde nodded before signaling to her assistants. Hinata and Naruto proceeded to come over, the unconscious form of Natsuhi suspended between them. The woman was loyal to her people, but if things were left unchanged, the kunoichi would not last another battle. That simply would not fit in with their strategy or their overall goal. Ensuring that the woman was completely out cold, the medics began to get to work.

* * *

Leaping forward, Shikamaru wondered how things had gotten so damn troublesome. This was always going to be an annoying mission, but running into Tsunade-sama's group had increased that by a factor of one hundred. While he was happy to see that Naruto and Hinata were alright after being away for so long, he was not particularly looking forward to having a mission with their participation. The blonde boy was infamous for complicating things to the extreme while the formerly shy girl would follow his lead into hell. Therefore, from what he had heard, any problem they dealt with tended to jump two or three rankings in the danger department. At least, that's what he picked up from Sakura's rants about Team Seven's first C-ranked mission.

Still, despite his best attempts to find a hole in it, the strategy did have a fairly good chance of succeeding. He would have preferred something without so many variables beyond his control, but what could you do? Despite the accuracy of Natsuhi's story, that did not mean that other factors were not at work. All they had at the moment were hypothetical situations and guesses. The more data he had, the more control over the situation he could exercise. For the moment, he would just have to rely upon his teammates and his backup to get them out of trouble if things went south. Otherwise they would be well and truly screwed.

Coming up on the designated meeting point, he resisted the urge to look over the jagged cliff. Natsuhi had already mentioned the poisonous dust cloud that filled the border of Bear Country, and he had no idea to test how potent the concoction was. Thankfully, they did not have long to wait. A mere five minutes after arriving, two ninja with the Hoshi mark appeared before them. The taller one had a narrow face and a haircut that reminded the Nara of Mizuki-sensei while the shorter had sunken eyes and a shining bald head. Clearly these were the official escorts. "I am Nara Shikamaru of Konoha, temporary leader of Team Gai. We are here to fulfill the contract submitted by Akahoshi, designated leader of Hoshigakure. Please direct us to him so that we can check in."

Nodding his head, the taller ninja smiled, although the expression did not reach his eyes. "Thank you for your prompt response time. I am Shisou and my companion is known as Yotaka. Akahoshi-sama sent us as guides to direct you to the village. If you would just follow us, we will get you to work as quickly as possible." Noting their flak vests and confident movement, Shikamaru was a little curious why two high Chunin were sent to escort a team of Genin. It made the village look weak and under confident, which really seemed out of character for a minor village that would claim the title of Kage.

But for the moment, all that mattered was completing their mission. "Thank you for your hospitality, and we will strive to surpass your expectations." Signaling to the others, the team moved across the wooden bridge that spanned the cliffs, flanked by the two stronger ninja. The Nara had to fight his nerves as he tapped a quick pattern against the side of his kunai pouch. Luckily, it appeared that the guards did not notice, so the subterfuge was safe and the message sent. The summoned Slug within would make sure that the others knew that they had begun their infiltration of the village. Now the rest was up to them.

* * *

Authors Notes

Well, wow, it has really been a while this time huh?

First of all, I am sorry about the slightly rushed nature of this chapter. I finished about half of it months ago, but I only had the energy and drive to finish it off this week. I figured that this would make a nice surprise gift for the holidays, so please enjoy it in the spirit of the season, whatever your particular preference happens to be, ok?

Now then, I finally finished the classes that have been weighing me down, and after submitting a little paperwork I will have my documentation completely squared away. So go me! Will this mean that my writing will pick up? We will just have to see how things develop at work. It has been a very long year and I need a chance to relax a bit. So please continue to bear with me, you loyal and understanding readers you.

Now, on to the reviews!

First, yes this is the Star Arc. I have plans within plans within plots, and a chunk of rock that seems to act like a Biju was just too sweet to pass up!

Second, yes I know that Naruto keeps getting pushed to the side here. Please bear in mind that, in cannon, he seems to get pushed to the side quite a bit anyways. I am simply trying to ensure that he does not overshadow the rest of the cast by accident. His powers will require a couple of nice and flashy battles in the near future, but in the meantime just bear with me for a little longer please?

Third to one powerhacker. There I updated, are you happy now?

Now for the next chapter! Enemies at every turn, the only ones they can trust are their teammates. But does that mean that the locals are hopeless? Or are there friends just waiting to be made from behind the scenes? Stay tuned!


	43. Chapter 40 Preview And AN

**Chapter Preview.**

Greeting all you fans of Escape from the Hokage's Hat! It is I, anothvortex, the writer that many of you have wanted to lynch for the last several months!

Please, don't aim for the face.

Now, I m sure that you are all wondering why this note is coming up as an update. After all, you have waited patiently, or not so patiently, for this particular chapter for way too long and are probably dammed pissed off about the delay. If anything is going to be posted about this story, it should be a proper update, right?

Well, I thought you might want to know what the problem is, and the steps that I am taking to fix it.

The truth of the matter is that I started running into trouble using Hoshigakure, or the Hidden Star Village as a base of the next story arc. As you probably remember from the last chapter (assuming that you reread the story recently) I was all set to deal with a minor village that Naruto managed to save ever so heroically in the original episode. So what s the problem with him doing so now, all upgraded and healed?

The simple answer is that the story outlining the Fourth Great Shinobi War that's happening at the moment in the Manga. After seeing just what the true Great Five Villages are capable of on the battlefield, having a bunch of punks like the Hoshi ninja trying to claim the title is just so arrogant it makes me a little nauseous. So every word I ve tried to write for this chapter keeps coming out in a sarcastic tone that nothing seems to tone down.

So I m not going to try to anymore.

The following is the first scene of the latest chapter. I m going to really try and complete this arc before the end of the year, but I admit that the holidays might get in the way. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this little snippet and understand that there will be quite a bit of bashing. While it s not my normal preference to bash anyone, I just cannot progress the story any other way. You have been warned.

* * *

No I don't own Naruto. Although I am glad to see some semi-interesting twists and turns in the plot once again!

Chapter Forty: Shining Egos

Flanked by his team, Shikamaru did his best to remain calm while taking in every single detail of their surroundings and host. The leader of Hoshigakure was a man named Akahoshi, who was currently the strongest ninja in their village. What was slightly unusual was the fact that he was acting only as a regent. According to Jiraiya-sama, Hoshigakure had always claimed to have a Kage, despite the title not being recognized by any of the Five Elemental Villages. It was only due to their relative size and lack of a tactically sound position that kept anyone from invading to demonstrate displeasure with such an action. However, the minor village seemed to take the lack of action as validation of all things.

Yet this man had not taken the title of Kage since ascending to power nearly a year ago. Either that meant that he had no intention of continuing the tradition, did not have enough support to justify the title, or was waiting until he preformed some act to properly unify the ninja under his command. Either way, the situation made Shikamaru nervous. Nevertheless, they had a job to do. "Lord Akahoshi, as requested my team has come to provide additional security during your village's training exercise. Is there any additional information that you can provide us so that we might better serve you?"

Smiling, the thin man seemed to present a facade of mild embarrassment. Given their current sources of information, it looked particularly fragile. "I don't anticipate any major issues per se. The problem is that with several of our younger generation tied up during that aforementioned training exercise and many of our more experiences ninja on missions, we just need some extra bodies for patrols of non-vital areas. In addition, you will be posted around our central shrine overnight, although you may not actually enter it. I expect that the whole experience will probably take about three weeks. Any longer and I will be sure to contact your superiors in Konoha for an extension."

While nodding in agreement, The Nara s mind began to race at frightening speeds. The information provided was just too pat, and its insincerity made him want to bash his head against a wall. No village, major or minor would provide half as much information like this to foreign ninjas. Therefore, this was so obviously a setup it was not even funny. Therefore, if he was to keep his teammates alive and their response plan on track, he would have to seriously bite his tongue. The whole situation was beyond troublesome to downright depressing.

Deciding that the sooner they left this idiots presence the better, Shikamaru sketched a short bow. "I understand you reasoning and promise to live up to the expectations you have placed upon myself and my team. With your permission, I would like to establish a perimeter around the site after familiarizing myself with the area. The sooner we get started the better." Seeing Akahoshi nod his acceptance, the Nara rose before leading his team out the door. Now he could only hope that the coded tapping against his kunai pouch would be shrugged off as a nervous tick. Otherwise it would be nearly impossible to transmit his coded interpretation of the meeting along with its content while under such heavy observation.


End file.
